Shulman University
by tinyfiereceandsassy
Summary: AU where the practice attends college together. it's a small world at Shulman U, where anything can happen...
1. Chapter 1

The music was blaring as Mindy gazed at her target. She _needed_ to get this shot. Just one, and she was safe.

"Shoot already!" Some frat guy yelled from across the room. She glanced over at him. It was 2 AM and the guy was wearing sunglasses. Inside. She shook her head and tried to remember his name. Roger? Matt? No, Peter. That was it. Peter the frat star.

Mindy shook him off, once again aligning her hand with her goal. The pyramid of red cups leered at her from across the table. _It's only beer pong_, she thought groggily. _You've shot plenty of candy wrappers into the trashcan. You can do this._ She took a deep breath and tossed. The ball completely missed the table, bouncing off someone standing nearby. They grunted in Mindy's direction, watching as it deflected off them and into the crowd. Mindy groaned, stumbling over towards the group of sweaty college students.

"Excuse me!" She pushed bodies aside, scanning the ground for any sign of white plastic. She sighed in relief as she spotted it between a pair of Converses. "If I could just-" she struggled, wrenching the ball from its spot. The girl looked down at Mindy and laughed as she walked off towards the kitchen. Mindy stood up, fixing her hair and dusting herself off, muttering about designer jeans.

She walked back towards the long table. She tossed the ball to her opponent, who caught it easily in the hand that wasn't holding a beer. He juggling it in his fingers.

"Go ahead," Mindy said, already defeated. A sole red cup stood in front of her. If he sunk this, she was done. Not only did she lose, but she would be skunked. And that meant one thing:

She had to run a naked lap around the house.

Mindy was terrified. First off, she refused to run in her heels. She'd gotten them from an outlet, sure, but they were still a strain on her college budget.

Secondly, she was wearing her Spanx. She didn't want people to see what she looked like without them, running in her full glory. She'd meant to go to the gym last week, but there had been a Valentine's Day marathon on ABC Family…

No. He couldn't win. She'd do anything to make sure that didn't happen.

Mindy held her breath as her opponent aimed. He released, and she knew it was over. The ball sunk into the cup, bobbing as if cheering for his victory. The young man smirked, pleased at winning so easily. He moved around the table to face his victim.

"Good game," he extended a hand, still smirking. Mindy nodded, her hand limp in his. Maybe he wouldn't bring it up. Maybe he played by different rules, maybe he –

"So I skunked you." Mindy cringed. 'Yeah, you did," she replied, hoping she could play it off. Then an idea hit her.

"You know, that really was an impressive demonstration of skill," Mindy looked up through her eyelashes. When all else fails, flirt.

"I've played a little ball," he said smugly. Mindy smiled. It was working.

"Maybe you could give me a few tips," she suggested. She grabbed his arm. Woah. He was built. But she couldn't focus on that at this moment. There were bigger things – and thighs – at stake.

"Yeah, maybe I could." His eyes flashed. Mindy narrowed her own. So he wanted to play ball? She could too.

"You know what would be so much better than watching me run a silly little lap around the house?" Mindy asked.

She didn't give him the chance to answer. She grabbed him, pulling his lips onto hers. He gasped for a second, but quickly wrapped his arms around her and stooped down for better leverage. Mindy smiled into the kiss, knowing her plan was working. She traced her tongue along his bottom lip, reveling in her power as he shivered. She had to admit, he wasn't such a bad kisser either. He smelled of beer and – was that tomato sauce? It was an enticing combination.

_Focus, Lahiri!_ She chastised herself, bringing herself back into the moment. She ran her fingers through his hair, causing his hands to start to slide down her back. That was her cue. She gave him one last little nibble on his bottom lip and then pulled back. Her opponent's hair stood up a little in the back and his eyes were dazed. Mindy smiled. Watching all those rom com's wasn't for nothing. She had studied the Greats, and now she knew how to kiss Great.

"Dude! Mackin' on the comp! You are a _dawg_!" Peter walked up, slapping the dazed boy on the back. Mindy rolled her eyes, starting to turn away.

"Wait! Where are you going?" The boy grabbed Mindy's hand, pulling her to face him.

She shrugged. "I think I've tried my luck enough for one night."

"Well, can I call you sometime? What's your number?" he asked, pulling out his phone. Mindy smiled. She'd done a better job than she'd thought.

"322-456-7772." It wasn't her number. She didn't need some random guy she met at a party calling her. Especially not a guy willing to let her run a naked lap. She turned towards the door.

"Wait! What's your name?" He called after her.

"Chloe. Chloe Silverado." She smiled with a twinkle of mischief in her eyes.

"Chloe." He returned his smile. "I'm Danny." Mindy nodded, already forgetting the boy and the party. "Bye." She waved and walked out the door.


	2. Chapter 2

A few weeks later, Mindy was sitting in her Genetics class when she saw him walk in and sit down on the front row. Ugh. Of course he was a front row student. She turned to her friend Jeremy, who was currently ogling the blonde sitting a row in front of them. Mindy rolled her eyes, punching him in the shoulder.

"Ow!" He rubbed the spot she'd just hit. "What did you have to bludgeon me for?"

"Jeremy, stop trying to look down her shirt for one second and listen to me."

He smiled wickedly. "Mindy, if I'm going to be a gynecologist, I have to conduct regular breast exams," he smirked, turning back towards the innocent girl.

"No, Jer, I'm serious. Do you see that guy on the front row? Dark hair, face like a Greek god?" She pointed.

"Yeah, what about the bloke?" he replied, playing up his English demeanor for their lady neighbor.

"I made out with him once at a party. He skunked me at beer pong and I didn't wanna run a naked lap." She pulled her hair out of a ponytail, fanning it out to cover as much of her face as it could. She sunk into her seat to hide.

"Oh, Min, really? I thought we talked about your lack of talent in the pong industry."

"I know, I know, but I was feeling really confident after my A on last week's exam."

"Well, the good news is that he probably won't notice us filthy middle-row dwellers. You should be fine. Front-row-ers never turn around." Mindy nodded, sitting up as the professor walked into the classroom.

"Alright, class. Today we'll be talking about genetic defects. But first, I'll be handing out assignments for the midterm project." Groans emanated from various points in the room. "I know, how horrid of me, making you interact with the material." She shook her head. "You can check the syllabus for more details, but the general gist is that you will be assigned a genetic defect to present on for 15 minutes. You and your partner should equally divide the work and speak the same amount of time. Try not to bore us to death," she added dryly. Mindy and Jeremy looked at each other with hope, their first choice already picked.

"Be sure to raise your hand when I call your name. You and your partner can exchange contact information after class." She nodded. "Okay. Sam Brown and Rachel Keyes? Down's Syndrome." The two raised their hands and nodded at each other. "Charles Ruthbergh and Matt Yokes? Cystic Fibrosis." Mindy watched as the rest of her class paired up, exchanging smiles with their partners. Jeremy even let out a little cheer as he was paired with Stephanie, the blonde in front of them. He immediately leaned forward and began conversing with her. Mindy frowned, mad she wouldn't be working with her friend.

"Does anyone not have a partner?" The professor scanned the room. Mindy raised her hand. Great. She probably got stuck with someone who added the class late. She sighed, awaiting her doom.

"Ah, Mindy Lahiri. You're with Daniel Castellano. You'll be presenting on Phenylketonuria." Mindy cast a quick glance around the room, searching for her group member. When her eyes landed on the raised hand in the front row, her heart stopped.

"I prefer Danny," the voice connected to the hand corrected the professor, turning around to face Mindy. She saw the recognition dawn. Oh, god. She sunk further into her seat, wishing the floor would swallow her whole. Danny frowned for a second before turning around.

"Now that we all have our assignments, let's return to the material," the professor announced, dimming the lights. Mindy sighed, mourning the death of her dignity.

She spent the rest of the class trying to control her stress-barfs. Of _course_ she got assigned to work with the hot jerk. Her life wasn't a rom com. It was a horror film.

All too soon, class was over.

"Don't forget to introduce yourself to your partner. Projects are due next Monday," the professor reminded the students as she exited the classroom. Jeremy nodded, already helping Stephanie to put on her coat. "Cheers, Mindy," he called over his shoulder as he followed his partner out the door. She sighed. Time to bite the bullet.

Danny was still packing up his stuff when Mindy descended the stairs. She took a deep breath and stuck out her hand. "Hey. I'm Mindy." Maybe if she acted like she didn't remember, he would chalk it up to foggy alcohol-based memories.

"Mindy. That's a name you don't hear very often." He shook her hand, studying her face. Mindy tried to keep her mask of innocence plastered on, feeling her fake smile begin to crack.

"Yeah. Family name," she shrugged, still stuck in the handshake. Why wasn't he letting go?

"Well _Mindy_, it's great to meet you," he emphasized, narrowing his eyes. Mindy knew he remembered her, but there was no way she'd admit it. "I'm Danny."

"Nice to meet you too." Mindy pulled her hand out his grasp, wiping it on her cardigan. The boy could sweat, that's for sure. "So. Phenylketonuria shouldn't be too difficult. When can you meet?"

"I volunteer at the hospital Monday and Tuesday nights, so Wednesday is probably best for me. Around 6 pm?"

"Sounds good to me." Mindy nodded. Wednesday was hump day. She usually rewarded herself for surviving the first half of the week by renting a rom com, but she could sacrifice a couple hours of watching Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks fall in love for a class project. "Meet at Braselton Library?"

"Sure." Danny nodded. "Alright. Guess I'll see you Wednesday at 6." He threw his messenger bag over his shoulder, leaving Mindy to curse ping pong balls and frat houses in the emptiness of the classroom.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks everyone for reading! I just got off spring break, so I'm trying to keep the writing up. Please continue to leave reviews! I love them and I reread them all the time. Enjoy! xoxo**

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Danny was bouncing his pencil on his notepad when Mindy flew into the room. "I'm so sorry," she gushed, a blur of brightly colored clothes and school supplies. She knew she was late, but there had been a sale at the mall that she couldn't pass up. It wouldn't hurt if they lost just a couple minutes, would it?

"It's fine." Danny replied as if it were anything but. He watched as Mindy unloaded her pink backpack. "Alright, let's get to work. We need to create a power point presentation that lasts at least 15 minutes. We should probably cover etymology, symptoms, and treatments."

"I agree," Mindy nodding, glancing down at her shiny new heels. _So_ worth it.

Danny followed her gaze, rolling his eyes when he noticed the object of her affections. _Women._ He'd had high hopes when they'd been partnered. He remembered her from the party, but she didn't seem to remember him. Or at least she was pretending not to. He'd seen her eyes dart away from his face when he'd introduced himself. He knew she remembered.

But he couldn't forget those eyes or that name. _Chloe Silverado_. When she'd left the party, he'd immediately called the number she'd given him, only to be yelled at by an old woman ranting about "hooligans these days, calling her at all hours of the night". With that, he'd given up the hope of ever seeing her again.

Then Professor Smithson had assigned them to Phenylketonuria. As soon as Danny saw her, that fire had reignited. So she was a bio major. Or at least smart enough to take upper level biology classes. Brains and beauty. Danny was excited. He'd gotten to the library half an hour early just to calm himself down. He'd read and reread the chapter on Phenylketonuria, not that he needed it. His memory was a steel trap for this kind of stuff. But he wanted to impress Chloe. Ahem, _Mindy_. He wouldn't miss opportunity's knock again.

But then she came late and spent the whole time focusing on those shiny new shoes. Danny groaned. He should have known better. Party girls were all the same.

He almost hadn't even gone to the party that night. He'd spent the weekend at home, fixing stuff around the house for Ma. He'd only come back early so he could study for his orgo midterm. He was in the library, immersed in equations when he ran into his buddy Peter. Peter was the definition of a frat bro: salmon-colored shorts, sunglasses constantly around his neck, beer koozie in his backpack where a water bottle should be.

But Peter also knew his stuff. Danny had spent a few nights at the hospital volunteering with him, fascinated with the way he could communicate so much information through so many abbreviated words. The nurses loved it.

As soon as Peter learned that Danny was lacking in the "ladyfriend" department, he took it upon himself to find Danny a girl. So Danny couldn't resist when Peter came to him in the library, shouting about "babes by the bills" (girls by the billions) who were "DTF" and how he was gonna help him "GTT" (get tail tonight).

Honestly, Danny only said yes to get Peter to stop pestering him. He figured he'd stop in to say hey and then be on his merry way. But Danny wasn't quick enough: the second Peter saw him, he was shoving a Budlight in his hand and guiding him into the frat house. Danny protested to no avail, swallowed by the crowd gyrating in the middle of the living room. He bounced up and down, wishing that someone would save him from this hell.

Then _she_'d bumped into him, jumping with the rest of the group. Her shiny, dark hair bounced around her like a halo, her smile causing Danny's heart to skip a beat along with the bass. He glanced around. He saw a table a little ways away covered in red solo cups. Beer pong. Hmm. He'd played a couple of games before. Luckily for him, he'd also been a pitcher in high school. He could show off his skills and get her away from his intoxicated classmates.

He turned to the girl, trying to scream over the music. She shook her head, not hearing a word. Danny gestured over to the table. "You wanna play?" He mouthed, holding up his hands. The girl seemed to consider it for a minute before nodding excitedly. She shouted something over her shoulder at a friend before following Danny out of the crowd.

The game had passed uneventfully until she was left with just one last cup. "Shoot already!" Peter shouted across the room, checking her out and giving Danny a thumbs up. Danny shook his head.

And then he'd sunken the last cup. His opponent looked defeated. Danny knew why. In these situations, being skunked normally meant taking a naked lap around the house. But he didn't want to humiliate her. He was just about to say she didn't have to run when she reached up and grabbed him, pulling him down to kiss her.

Danny had never felt so exhilarated in his life. Even a little drunk, this girl kissed like a pro. Her hands wound through his hair, scratching at the nape of his neck. It was like she knew his spots. She smelled like cherries, and he was just beginning to hold her closer when she pulled away, smiling up at him. Over his shoulder he heard Peter as he slapped him on the back. "Dude! Mackin on the comp! You are a _dawg!_" Danny waved him off, trying to save the moment.

But the girl was already moving towards the door. He was so dazed, he could barely register what she was saying. He did manage to get her number, though. And then he'd called her. And then there was disappointment.

And now here he was in the library with her, disappointed again. _Come on, Castellano_. _You didn't really expect a goddess like her to be into you, did you?_ _And_ _just look at those damn shoes. She's gonna make your presentation all fruity and girlie. Take control._

Danny flipped through his notes. "Okay, I can put all the info on the slides and we can just glance through it before we present. I've already read the chapter and taken notes." Maybe she wouldn't notice his power play.

Mindy sat up straight. "So have I." She looked at him funnily. "It's my project too. And I want to be more prepared than that. Don't you think we should compare notes?" She held up a flowery notebook.

"No offense, but I don't think any notes from a Lilly Pullatzen notebook will help us get an A." Danny rolled his eyes.

"Um excuse me?" Danny saw a fire light behind his partner's eyes. "First of all, it's Lilly Pullitz_er_. She was a woman who started her own business and dressed famous, strong women like Jackie O. You would do well to take a few pages out of her book." Mindy studied his outfit warily, then sat up haughtily. "And just because my notes are more fashionable than yours, that doesn't mean they're not as thorough." She glared at him, arms folded.

Danny held up his hands. "Okay, fine. Why don't I do etymology and symptoms and you do treatments?" He shook his head. How could he have ever been attracted to her?

"We'll split symptoms. It'll segue into my portion." Mindy narrowed her eyes at her partner.

"Fine." Danny glared right back. "Just make sure you do a good job. Some of us need a good grade in this course." Mindy gasped, offended.

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?!"

"All I'm sayin is, _some_ of us don't have parents helping us, who buy us fancy Lilly Pullatz-" "_Pullitzer_" "-_Pullitzer_ notebooks. I need to make good grades so I can get a scholarship to med school."

"How _dare _you! For your information, I bought this notebook for _myself_ for half off. And grades matter to me too. I just don't see why everything has to be so serious along the way."

"Whatever. Just put your slides on a Google doc and this'll all be over soon."

"Fine." Mindy huffed, gathering up her stuff.

"Oh, and one last thing." Danny called over his shoulder as Mindy opened the door. She paused. "I hope you're better at presenting than you are at beer pong..._Chloe_." He heard Mindy gasp behind him, slamming the door after her. He smirked, packing up his own materials and feeling victorious.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I know it's been awhile since I've updated, but I am sick! :( so unfortunately I have been sleeping more than I've been writing. Let's hope this goes away quickly! And as always, please feel free to post reviews or just say hey! xoxo**

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Mindy fidgeted with her earrings as she waited impatiently outside the classroom. Where _was_ he? They were set to present at the beginning of lecture. She'd combined all the slides, adding some flair so it didn't look so boring. She just wanted to go over what they were gonna say before they did it. All communication after that first meeting had been through a email, and short ones at that. She just wanted it to be over.

After what seemed like forever, Danny finally arrived. Mindy hated to admit it, but he looked good. The navy button-up suited him. She adjusted her Lilly dress nervously, smoothing out any wrinkles. She didn't wear it to antagonize him _specifically…_okay. Maybe she did a _little._

Mindy glanced up at her partner. He already had a crease in his brow, fists at his side.

"Hey." What a warm opening.

"Hey," she replied. "I've got the powerpoint on my thumb drive. I'll start talking at the bullet point on skin rashes. We good?" Danny nodded. "Okay. Let's go over the slides one more time before class starts."

Danny put his bag down by his usual seat while Mindy queued up the projector. She wasn't nervous. Talking in front of a crowd didn't scare her. She actually kinda liked it. She liked to imagine that this was her big monologue at the end of a movie, proving her growth as a character.

Plus, she refused to let Danny believe that she was an incompetent bubblehead.

She pressed play and came around the desk, then nodded at Danny. As she glanced at her partner, she silent prayed for him not to raise his arms. She could already see the sweat stains building. She sighed, pressing the button to run through the presentation.

The look on Danny's face could only be described as one that precedes an aneurism. The vein on his forehead stood out as he wiped his sleeve across his forehead. He laughed nervously, glancing at the students filtering into the classroom as he scooted close to Mindy.

"What the hell is _this_?!" he whispered to her angrily, yanking a thumb towards the screen.

"_This_ is our presentation, Daniel," she whispered back. What the hell was the problem?

"This doesn't look like a professional, academic presentation. This looks like a brochure for a princess party!" He pointed at the bold pink squiggles depicting the title: PKU: I Smell You!.

Mindy shrugged. So maybe she'd gone a little bold on the decorations. She thought the sparkles really made the prevalence rates stand out.

"I'm sorry if my creativity isn't up to your standards. _I _was in charge of designing the slides, not you. I knew that if you were, we would be staring at a plain black background and maybe one picture of some poor sickly child."

"It's a genetic defect! It is sickly by _definition_!" Danny threw his hands in the air.

"Well, this is what I chose, and we have to present today. Look, the information is correct. Just go with it." Mindy walked away as Danny looked up at the ceiling, cursing the inventor of the group project.

Professor Smithson walked into the classroom, placing her briefcase on the table up front. She glanced at the clock. "Alright everybody, settle down. We have more presentations today. Up first are Mindy and Danny. You have the floor." She nodded before sitting down on the front row to watch.

Mindy began. "Hi everybody, my name is Mindy Lahiri. And this is my partner Danny Castellano." She gestured across the desk at Danny, who was trying to take deep breaths. She gave him a look, indicating that it was his turn to speak. He inhaled one last time and let it whoosh out before he spoke.

"As she said, I'm Daniel Castellano. And although our presentation may make it seem otherwise," he glanced over at Mindy, "Phenylketonuria is a serious genetic defect." Mindy shook her head but allowed him to go on.

Danny spoke confidently. "Although you may have been _introduced _to Phenylketonuria under a different name," he glared at Mindy, "it's really just as terrible regardless. It sweeps you up and gives you hope, and then you're disappointed because it was all a lie." Mind's eyes were bugging. She gave Danny a look, laughing to cover the awkward silence.

"As my slightly-deranged partner was saying, PKU has a significant impact on life. And although it goes by different names, it's still the same, regardless of its alias." She coughed and moved towards Danny, who quickly pulled away.

Mindy glanced at Smithson. She looked confused, jotting something down on her notepad. Mindy nudged Danny, who looked up from his shoes to see their professor writing quickly. Mindy and Danny nodded, both understanding that they needed to get it in gear. They shared a quick look of reconciliation before Danny took a deep breath and started again.

"There are many symptoms that define PKU," he turned back to the class, using what Mindy assumed was his "professional" tone. She smiled, nodding along as he continued down the list.

They somehow managed to finish the presentation with only minor belittling on each other's part. Mindy bowed to the applause while Danny looked sheepish, quickly sitting back down in his seat on the front row. Mindy cheerfully ejected her USB from the computer, flying up the steps to sit next to Jeremy who congratulated her on a presentation well done. She smiled, content.

"Thank you for that informative presentation," Smithson said as she moved back to the center of the room. "And what a lovely change of pace with the color scheme," she smiled up at Mindy. Mindy bounced in her seat a little, sticking her nose out at Danny. She could see his shoulders hunch in annoyance. "Now let's move onto Klinefelter's Syndrome." Mindy settled in to the lecture, comfortable now that the project was done. She never had to speak to Danny Castellano again.

Just as she was leaving the classroom, Mindy heard her name being called. She turned around to see Professor Smithson beckoning.

"Hey, Dr. Smithson. Did you need me for something?" She asked.

"I just wanted to talk about your presentation today." Smithson replied vaguely.

"Oh, okay. Was it the citations? I wasn't sure which format you wanted, so I just went with MLA…" She nervously took a sip of her water. Maybe she didn't notice their little tiff at the beginning.

"No, no, that's fine. I just wanted to say that you should've told me I'd paired you with your boyfriend."

Mindy choked. "Um, what?!"

"Danny Castellano? You two certainly seem to have some sort of…tension." Smithson looked at her pointedly.

"Oh no. No no no." Mindy shook her head, eyes bugging out. "Danny Castellano and I…ew. No."

"Oh." Smithson looked a little disappointed. "It sure looked like it. Anyway, in the future, just try to keep the lover's spats out of the classroom, eh?" She winked knowingly.

Mindy knew it was futile to deny it any further. "Okay, Dr. Smithson. Will do." She nodded, leaving the classroom a little deflated. That _damn_ Castellano! At least it was over now. She never had to talk to him again. She shook off the conversation, catching up with Jeremy to discuss their next class.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: 8 days! That is all. Thank you for reading and reviewing! :)**

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Swinging the washer door open, Danny groaned as he saw that someone's wet laundry was still inside. _Again? Don't these people understand the concept of courtesy?_ He slammed the door closed, placing his basket on top of a nearby dryer. He jumped up next to it and pulled out a textbook, deciding to catch up on some homework while he waited.

A few minutes later, the owner of the clothes finally came to claim their laundry. Danny looked up from his book and sighed. He couldn't see her face behind the door of the washing machine, but he did note that what he could see wasn't half bad. Even if it were encased in bright pink capris. Then she stood up.

"What?" Mindy pushed her hair behind her ear, looking at Danny like he was an alien specimen. And he was staring, he admitted. But he had just mentally objectified Mindy. _Mindy Lahiri, _of _Chloe Silverado_ fame. He shook his head in disgust, immediately becoming annoyed.

"Glad you could finally find some time in your busy schedule to come and get your laundry," he said, sliding off the dryer. Mindy narrowed her eyes, adjusting her basket so that it balanced on her hip. She shook her head, apparently deciding not to engage him. She began to walk away.

"Anyway, don't you know that you shouldn't leave your laundry unattended?" Mindy froze in her spot. She turned around slowly, glaring at Danny. He pointed at a sign on the wall warning students about laundry thieves. Mindy huffed.

"Are you that jaded that you think someone's gonna come in here and take my crappy Shulman U tshirt?" Mindy shook her head. "Well, I'm sorry that some of us _normal_ human beings have better things to do than protect our laundry from those pesky sock-snatchers."

Danny held up his textbook. "I get my homework done while I wait."

"Oh, cuz you're just the master of time management. Of course you are, the great Danny Castellano who never deviates from his routine!" Mindy shook her head, laughing.

"Hey! At least I don't show up to meetings late because of some stupid pair of shoes!" Danny could feel his face getting red. What was it about this girl that set him off so easily?

"I was _five_ minutes late! And it didn't affect anything anyway! We still got an A on our presentation!" Mindy replied with a self-satisfied smirk.

Danny scoffed. "Yeah, no thanks to your frilly designs. If it weren't for my professional demeanor, I'm sure we would've done much worse. You can thank me later," he held out his arms, smug.

"Whatever, Danny. You didn't seem so professional when you were introducing the name of our defect." She watched as Danny's eyes widened. "Yeah, I know you were talking about _Chloe_. I'm not that dense. No one in that class is. Even Dr. Smithson picked up on it."

"What?! Whaddya mean?" Danny's accent broke through in his anxiety.

"Relax, Castellame-o. She asked if we were dating. Ugh, get over yourself. Of course I told her we weren't," Mindy said in reply to Danny's mask of disgust. "All I'm saying is, if anyone was professional, it sure as hell wasn't you."

"Well forgive me for being bitter that I got played!" Danny returned to his anger.

"Come on. No one goes to a frat party and actually expects to make a _love connection_." Mindy air quoted. "It has to happen somewhere with potential, like in a library, or a coffeeshop, or the Empire State Building!" Her eyes took on a dream-like quality.

"What?" Danny looked confused.

"Obviously you've never watched a good rom-com before." Mindy rolled her eyes. "My point is, don't blame me for your disappointment. I have to keep a good rep around here, so when I party, I go by a different name. I've gotta give myself a chance to succeed." She shrugged.

Danny sighed. "Fine, I guess I can understand that. Maybe next time though, try not to give a guy some old woman's number. She really didn't appreciate being called in the wee hours of the morning."

"What? You called an old woman?" Mindy stifled her laughter, but couldn't hold it in. Upon seeing her break, Danny couldn't help himself either. He started cracking up too. He guessed it _was_ kind of funny. Then he heard Mindy snort. His head snapped up.

"Did you just SNORT?" He asked, unbelieving.

Mindy held up a hand to cover her face. "No, I did not. And if you ever tell anyone I did, which would be a lie," she gave Danny a look, "then I will kill you in your sleep." But her smile betrayed her. They both continued to chuckle, letting it die out naturally.

Mindy shrugged. "Well, you can use the washer now." She gave him a half-smile.

"Thanks." Danny nodded as she moved over towards the dryer. They danced around awkwardly as Danny tried to lift his basket off the dryer while Mindy tried to open it. "Yeah, if I could just –" "Um, you go that way and I'll –" They ended up face to face, squished together with the door between them. They laughed nervously, breaking apart. They moved to their separate machines, both chastising themselves for being so weird.

Mindy flipped back her hair as she grabbed clothes and starting tossing them in the dryer.

"Um, Mindy?" Danny's voice came from behind her.

"Mhm?" She asked, still going about her way. _How hard is it to wash clothes? Stinkin' boy. Probably needs me to show him how and is too proud to ask._

"I think I grabbed your laundry." Danny stood up, holding onto the end of one of Mindy's laciest bras. She gasped, snatching it out of his hand.

"Can you not be an extra-creepy klepto?" She asked, quickly hauling his laundry out of her dryer. She shoved the basket at him as he handed her her own.

"It was an honest mistake!"

"Right. Whatever you say, Castellano. You know you can't ignore this hot bod." Mindy gestured to herself. Danny began to protest but then Mindy smiled, letting him know she was kidding. Danny smirked back.

Mindy shut the door of the dryer, hopping up on top of it. Danny closed his own door, moving to stand in front of her.

"Need something, Castellano?" She asked. He was right about her height now.

"I just needed to –" Danny leaned in, inches from Mindy's face. She held her breath as he turned in towards her, reaching around her side. " – grab this." He smiled as he pulled his textbook from behind her. Mindy sighed. Of course he needed his textbook. What did she think he was gonna do, kiss her?

"Ah, right. Can't waste a second." Mindy shrugged, trying not to sound disappointed.

" Yep." Danny moved back, hopping up onto his own machine and flipping to a page in the book. Shaking her head, Mindy decided to leave. Danny Castellano was nothing but trouble. It'd be best if she left now.

"Alright, well, I guess I'll see you around." She waved as she started to leave.

"Yeah, later." Danny replied, not looking up from his book.

Mindy groaned inwardly as she stopped once again. She turned around. "Hey Danny?"

"Mmm?" He shut the textbook and waited for her to speak.

"Would you wanna, um…" She was so nervous. She could feel her heart beating in her chest. _You can do this_, she coached herself. _You are a twenty-first century woman._

"Yes, Chloe, would I wanna do what?" Danny was teasing.

Mindy shook her head with a sigh. "Study together? Would you want to study for next week's exam? I could use some help with transcription." _Coward_, she reprimanded herself.

"Yeah, sure." Danny nodded. Mindy walked over to him and held out her hand. "What?"

"I need your phone. So you have my number?" She rolled her eyes at the technologically challenged boy in front of her.

"Oh, right." Danny dug in his pocket, pulling out a Nokia.

"Ohmigod. You really are of another era," Mindy laughed as she typed in her information.

"Wait. How can I be sure this is Mindy and not "Chloe's" number?" Danny asked, skeptical. Mindy pressed the green button on his phone. A few seconds later, "If I Was A Rich Girl" started to emanate from Mindy's pocket. She smiled, pulling it out and holding it up. "See? All Mindy."

"Okay, good." Danny nodded, looking down at her from his perch on the dryer. They stared at each other for a few seconds.

"Weren't you going to do something more important than protect your laundry?" Danny asked sarcastically.

"Well, I guess I'm confident enough in your ability to defend my wardrobe to leave it with you," Mindy replied flirtily. Danny's eyes widened at her suggestive tone.

Mindy straightened up immediately. "Mhm. Yep. Gotta get going." Mindy nodded, turning towards the door. "I'll call you later." She waved, running out of the room before she could make a bigger fool of herself.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Just finished watching Paleyfest. I love everyone and everything and Chris was perfect and Mindy was amazing and ahhh! :) anyways, this chapter was suuuper long so I had to kinda break it into two parts. Enjoy! And as always, please continue leaving your lovely reviews!**

* * *

"Yknow what the _real_ crime is?" Mindy slurred, leaning against Jeremy. It was a Friday night and they were making their way back from the local bar. Mindy admitted that she _might_ have had one too many drinks, but she knew Jeremy would take care of her.

"No, my little partner in crime, what is the true travesty of this great university?" Jeremy chuckled, catching Mindy as she stumbled. "Woah there, Lahiri. Let's have a seat, shall we?"

She brushed him off. "No, Jer, I'm fine." She stopped on the sidewalk and looked at him pitifully. "The real crime is that I am somehow still single."

Jeremy immediately softened. "Oh, Mindy, darling. We've been over this. You deserve better than us college scoundrels. You're much too mature for any Shulman boy."

Mindy stomped her foot. "I don't care, Jer! I'm so lonely!" She brushed her hair out of her face. "I know I'm great. I'm smart, I have amazing fashion sense," she gestured to her glittering outfit, "and I know more pop culture than Perez Hilton. Why doesn't anybody wanna date me?" She slumped.

Jeremy walked back to her, rubbing her shoulders as he coaxed her along. "I know you're amazing, but college guys don't appreciate that. They just want to 'hit it and quit it', as they so gallantly say," he replied, rolling his eyes at the indecency of it all. "Unlike me, some of these chum's mum's never taught them how to properly woo a lady," he added bitterly. Mindy sniffled, knowing that Jeremy's definition of 'woo' differed greatly from her own.

"I know college guys just want one thing. But is it too much to ask for a Prince Charming every once in awhile? Or even just a Prince Polite?" She looked up to heavens as if she were asking the Great Powers That Be.

"Unfortunately, I don't see any carriages around, love," Jeremy shrugged. "And I don't think they're listening." His eyes flicked towards the sky.

Mindy sighed. "No, they're not, Jeremy. They never have." They stopped in front of a brick building.

"Well, this is me." Jeremy gestured towards the door. "Are you sure you don't want me to walk you back?" He looked worried.

"I'm sure." Mindy smiled weakly. "I'm only a block away. How much could happen in a few hundred feet? Anyway, I'm just gonna go watch a movie to make me feel better. I'll see you in class on Monday?"

Jeremy nodded. "Bonsoir, ma belle," he called over his shoulder as he opened the door. "Text me when you get in." Mindy nodded, starting the trek to her own dorm.

She hadn't made it more than a couple feet past the next building when she stumbled again. "Damn knock-off Jimmy Chews," she muttered, fumbling to get them off her feet. Holding her shoes in one hand, she threw her arms out and shouted at the sky. "Is this my rock bottom? Is this the intermission of my life?"

The sky responded with a crack of thunder as rain began to fall. Mindy squealed, running to the stoop of the nearest building. She sat down on the top step, pulling her legs into her chest to avoid being hit by the rain. "Of course it's pouring! You're not even gonna send me someone with an umbrella?" She asked, fully giving up on any attempts at appearing sane.

Then the door opened behind her.

"Mindy?"

Mindy froze in her spot, refusing to recognize the voice behind her. Slowly, she turned around.

"Hey Danny," she winced up at him from her position on the stoop. She hadn't talked to him since their study session. It hadn't been bad at all. Danny was a really good teacher, and she'd showed him a few tricks of her own. Mindy had actually _enjoyed_ herself, and done even better on her exam. Having left class after she'd finished, though, she hadn't had a chance to ask Danny what he thought of it. She guessed now was as good a time as any.

"I was just gonna check the mail when I heard someone scream," he explained. Mindy noted the newspaper in his hand. "Didn't know it was just you hangin' out." He smirked.

"Yep. You know me. All about getting in touch with…nature." She grimaced, glancing out at the downpour.

"Well, far be it from me to pull you away from connecting with the environment, but I have hot chocolate inside if you want." Mindy's eyes instantly lit up. Danny laughed. "Here, come on in." He pulled back to give her space to enter.

"Thanks," Mindy smiled, rubbing her shoulders.

"Sure." He started to walk over towards the stairs.

"Oh, um, do you mind if we take the elevator?" Mindy asked hopefully. She didn't need Danny to hear her gasping for breath after taking a couple flights of stairs. "I'm uh, a little intoxicated, and not really confident in balancing right now."

"Okay." Danny chuckled, moving across the lobby to press the button. Mindy leaned against the wall, trying to look casual. While the rain had shocked a little sobriety into her, she still had a good amount of alcohol in her system.

They rode the elevator in silence, Danny calm but Mindy excited when the door finally dinged open. As they walked down the hall, Danny hummed something Mindy thought she used to hear on her parents' radio, but couldn't match the tune.

"This is me." Danny fiddled with the lock on the door. "Sorry, the lock's a bit old and maintenance hasn't gotten around to fixing it yet. This'll just take a second." A moment to look at Danny without being judged? Mindy wouldn't pass that up.

She took him in. He was wearing a grey t-shirt and the most adorable plaid pajamas. He actually had a pretty nice butt too, she couldn't help but notice. It was kind of in her personal bubble as he leaned over, jiggling the lock. And up top wasn't too bad either. Mindy wondered how she hadn't noticed how muscular his shoulders were before. She was in the middle of scheming various ways she could get to touch them when the door finally swung open.

Mindy walked in cautiously as Danny flicked on the lights. "Sorry, uh, that it's kinda messy. I wasn't really expecting any visitors," Danny scratched his head as he kicked something under his desk.

Mindy glanced around. _Messy_? Danny thought this was "messy"? The place was pristine! Not a single pair of dirty underwear on the floor, no disgusting Sports Illustrated posters. Just a couple Yankees ball caps and some Billy Joel albums on the floor. Mindy laughed. Of all the people to still buy CD's, Danny Castellano would be one of them.

"I like it. It's nice," she turned around, smiling at him. He returned her smile, shrugging.

"Yeah, I guess I lucked out. My roommate spends a lot of time at his girlfriend's, so I basically have the place to myself."

"Cool." Mindy nodded. "So. That hot chocolate?"

Danny sprung to action. Mindy shivered in her spot, trying to wait patiently. She must've made an audible noise, because no sooner was she sniffling than Danny was pushing a warm mug into her hands. "Here."

"Thanks," Mindy smiled. "Mmm. This is good, Danny."

He shrugged. "It's my Ma's mix. She gives me a huge container of it every semester."

"Well, please give her my compliments," Mindy gulped down the rest. Danny laughed. Mindy took a deep breath. "Hey, can I hang up my clothes somewhere?" She looked at Danny hopefully. He opened and closed his mouth awkwardly. "And borrow some of yours, obviously. Because mine are drenched and I'm freezing?" She gestured to her outfit.

Danny nodded quickly. "Uh yeah, sure." He moved over to the dresser and pulled out a tshirt and sweatpants, handing them to Mindy. "Here you go. Bathroom's down the hall on the right." He coughed.

"Thanks Danny," Mindy took the clothes. She quickly divested herself of her sopping clothes, sighing with relief as she hung her sodden dress on the door. She glanced down at the tshirt she was wearing. "Mama Castellano's?" Mindy smiled and shrugged. She liked how the shirt and pants were just a little big on her. Hugging herself, she shuffled back down the hallway.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Part two! WE ARE SO CLOSE TO THIS HIATUS BEING OVER! **

* * *

Danny was on his bed reading. _Of course_, Mindy rolled her eyes, watching from the doorway. _Just like the grandpa that he is._ Danny looked up suddenly.

"Enjoying the viewer, creeper?" He asked, laughing.

"Oh come on, you looked so cute and sweet before you started talking," she smirked.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Go ahead, get a good look. This way it won't be as awkward when I catch you staring next time." He settled back into bed, smug.

"Um, exsqueeze me?" Mindy's eyes widened. "I don't wanna have the image of your weird body burned into my mind!" She crossed her arms, defensive.

"Okay, Lahiri, but you just gave up your free pass," he smiled wickedly.

"Whatever." Mindy threw her hands up in the air, closing the door behind her. Danny remained on the bed, reading. Mindy grabbed her hot chocolate and plopped down next to him. She sipped quietly as Danny flipped through the pages. But soon, Mindy finished her drink.

The silence hung in the air. Mindy picked at her nail polish, desperately hoping for Danny to mention it first.

Finally she gave up. "Okay, I'll ask. Can I stay here tonight?" She looked at him hopefully.

Danny whipped his head up from the page. "Uh, why do you need to stay here? Don't you live on campus?" Mindy couldn't help but notice his voice cracking.

"Yes, Castellano, I live on campus, but as you saw from before, it is pouring outside." She got up and moved the curtain aside. It really was coming down in buckets, lightning flashing ominously in the distance.

"I could walk you back. I have an umbrella," Danny offered.

Mindy gave him a look. "Fine. Fine, I'll go back and get _your_ clothes all gross and then I'll have to wash them and then you'll be pissed at me for leaving them in the washer because I'm not safeguarding my laundry and –"

"Okay, fine, you can stay here!" Danny cut her off. Good grief, the girl could ramble. "You can stay here tonight." Danny got off his bed, searching underneath for an extra blanket.

Then he felt a pressure above his head.

"Hey!" he protested, seeing Mindy already lying down in his bed.

"What, you were taking forever. And it doesn't matter which one I sleep in, there are two beds!"

"Yeah, but that one's _mine_!" Danny sputtered. Mindy sighed.

"Fine, old man, I'll climb all the way up top just so you can have the precious comfort of your little college twin-sized bed. Happy?" She asked, beginning her ascent.

"Yes. Very." Danny replied, tossing up the blanket. "Hey!" Mindy squealed as it hit her. Danny tried not to laugh.

"Alright. Well…goodnight, Mindy." He walked over to the door and shut off the light. Realizing that he now had to make it back to his own bed, he started scooting along the floor.

"Dammit!" He grunted as he banged into the corner of some furniture. He could hear Mindy snickering from above. "Need me to kiss your boo boo and make it all better?" Mindy asked in a baby voice, giggling. Danny grunted in response. Finally he found his bed, curling into it, satisfied.

"Goodnight, Danny."

"Goodnight, Mindy." The beds shook as she tossed and turned above him. It wasn't five minutes before a quiet voice floated down from above.

"Danny?"

"Yes, Mindy?" He groaned inwardly. He wasn't ever gonna get to sleep tonight.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"You just did." Mindy could practically hear him smirking.

"Okay, I'm gonna ignore that preschool-level joke." She paused. "What do you wanna do with your life?"

Danny was quiet. "Danny?" Mindy asked, unsure.

"Hmm?" he replied. He was still thinking.

"I thought you might have fallen asleep before answering. I know it's way past your bedtime, which is like, 5, like the rest of the senior citizen community."

Danny rolled his eyes. "No. I was just debating telling you or not. I don't want you to laugh at me."

"I promise I won't laugh, Danny. Unless you're like, trying to become a football player. I'm sorry, that's not gonna happen. But maybe you can be a manager."

He sighed. "No, Mindy, I don't wanna be a football player. Or manager." He paused. "I want to be a gynecologist." The bed shook as Mindy leaned over the side.

"Ohmigod Danny! No way! That's what I want to be too!" She squealed. Danny rolled his eyes, knowing there was no chance of sleep now. He figured he would just go with it.

"I dunno. I just…My dad walked out on my when I was little. He left my Ma to provide for me and my little brother Richie. And I'd like to think that as a gynecologist, I can help people start healthy families so that maybe they won't have to go through what I did." He held his breath, waiting for Mindy's reply.

"Wow, Danny. That's…that's really beautiful." Even upside down, he could see how sincere she was. They lay in silence, both thinking about their parents.

"So, uh…why do you?" Danny asked after awhile. He couldn't believe he was actually having this conversation. With Mindy Lahiri. Who was sleeping over. In his dorm.

She flipped back up to her bed. "Why do I wanna what?" She replied, evasive.

"Be a gynecologist." He asked. He was genuinely curious. As a girl who seemed so bright and lively, he couldn't imagine why she would want to go into a profession filled with so much gore and danger.

"Oh. Uh. Well, my mom was one. When I was growing up, she would let me play with dolls they use to teach the birthing classes. She said I would put them up my shirt and pull them out, providing a full report of how the procedure went. She was always so smart and funny and confident, and I guess I just want to be like her." Mindy's voice ended softly.

"Was?" Danny was afraid to ask.

"Yeah. She passed away a couple summers ago." Danny could hear the tears in her voice. Yeah, maybe he had a deadbeat dad, but at least he didn't have to deal with losing someone so great. His heart went out to Mindy.

"I'm sorry." Danny replied, hoping she could hear it in his voice. Mindy sniffled. "Thanks."

"Well…goodnight, Min." He pulled the covers up over his shoulders.

"Goodnight Danny," she replied.

Soon, they were fast asleep, both dreaming of their mothers' strength.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I know, I know it's been forever! I'm sorry! These past couple of weeks (and next week) have been crazy! So here it is, finally, chapter 8! I hope you enjoy! and oh yeah, MINDY IS FINALLY BACK!**

* * *

The morning light crept onto Mindy's face as a bird sang in the distance. She smiled sleepily, reveling in the feel of someone blowing softly on her neck.

"Oh Fassy," she breathed, still half asleep. "Don't go yet." She reached out, trying to hold onto her fading dream before turning her head and slowly opening one lid. That's when she saw the two wide eyes peeking over the side of the mattress.

"AHHHHH!" She screamed, flailing and knocking her perpetrator in the head. A deep voice grumbled, followed by a loud thud. Mindy scrambled for a weapon, grabbing a trophy off a nearby shelf. She paused for a split second, confused as to why it said "First Place Dancer", then shook her head, slowly crawling towards the edge of the bed to peer down at her attacker. He held his head in his hands, groaning.

_Beyonce Pad Thai_, she reminded herself. She took a deep breath for confidence.

"I don't know who you are, or why you're here, or why you were watching me sleep like a Tom Hiddleston fangirl, but I am _not_ afraid to hurt you! I took a self defense class!" She paused. "Well, I watched a self defense tape. Okay, fine, I saw a poster downstairs for a course and I am totally gonna sign up as soon as you leave!" She held the trophy high in the air. The guy below rolled onto his side, getting to his feet.

"If you move one more muscle, I'll…I'll call the police!" Mindy patted the bed with her free hand, trying to find her phone and look threatening at the same time.

"Now hold on just a second," the intruder held up his hands, wincing a bit as he slowly moved towards Mindy.

"Ahhhh!" She screamed again, throwing the trophy at him and missing. The leg popped off, shooting under the desk as the door burst open.

"What's going on here?!" Danny exclaimed, staring wide-eyed at scene in his room. He held two coffee mugs, an apple tucked under his chin.

"Danny, why aren't you attacking him?! He broke in! He was watching me _sleep!_" Mindy looked at him like he had five heads.

"Maybe because you were in his bed," Danny sighed rolled his eyes, moving past the intruder.

"What?" Mindy asked incredulously. Danny placed one of the mugs on his desk, grabbing the apple before it fell. He turned around and sighed.

"Mindy, Sam. Sam, Mindy." Danny gestured between the two. "Mindy, Sam is my roommate. Sam, Mindy is my…" he awkwardly paused. "We worked on a project together." He glanced up at her. Mindy folded her arms and huffed.

Sam rubbed the back of his head. "Hell of a screech you got there," he grimaced, nodding in Mindy's direction. She scoffed.

"Thank you. I've been told I could do voice recordings for horror movies. I'm sorry I threw a trophy at you." She added dismissively.

Danny stopped sipping his coffee. "What? You threw a trophy at him?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah, not that it was worth anything. She missed me by a mile." He laughed.

"Exsqueeze me, but I definitely grazed your shoulder."

Sam chuckled. "Yeah, sure, we'll go with that." He stooped down, grabbing the trophy from behind him. He handed it to Danny. "Seems like the poor guy lost a leg." He pointed at the newly amputated statue.

"Aww, come on!" Danny groaned, placing it on the desk behind him and glaring up at Mindy. "This was for winning at regionals!" He noted bitterly.

"Danny, I don't think we should be focusing on how I broke your trophy."

"Oh yeah?" He huffed, folding his arms.

"Yeah." Mindy nodded. "We should be focusing on how you never told me you were a dancer!" She held out her arms, disappointed, the altercation from before already forgotten. Danny groaned.

"I, uh, I don't know what you're talking about. I don't dance," he covered his face with his hands. Sam's eyes widened.

"Oh, you don't know?" he asked Mindy, walking over to the bed.

"I don't know what?" She asked, glancing between Danny and his roommate.

"Danny's a primo ballerino." Sam smiled wickedly, wiggling his eyebrows. Mindy gasped.

"Daniel Castellano. You've been keeping secrets!" She squealed excitedly.

"Yeah, and it's gonna stay that way!" Mindy could already see his face turning red, his shoulders hiked up to his ears.

"Ugh, fine, Danny. You never let me have any fun." She rolled her eyes, climbing down from the bed. Danny shook his head, muttering about "complete lack of respect for privacy". He handed her a mug nonetheless.

"I didn't know how you took it, so I brought some packets of sugar and cream," Danny shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant.

Mindy smiled. "I love that you thought of that. Thanks Danny." Danny smiled for a second before catching Sam looking at the two of them mischievously. He coughed awkwardly.

"Well, I'll let you two finish up your breakfast," Sam announced, starting to back towards the door. Danny started shaking his head quickly, which only made Sam smile wider. "Mindy, nice to meet you," he nodded. "Hope the bed was to your liking."

"Oh it was! Sorry I threw a trophy at you!" Mindy winced as he stepped over the leg to reach his jacket.

"No harm, no foul. Danny," he nodded, closing the door with a click behind him.

Mindy turned to Danny. "I like him," she decided.

"So glad I have your approval," Danny retorted. He held out the apple. "Breakfast?"

"Eugh, no," Mindy made a face. "I'm gonna take advantage of eating what I want while I'm still young and hot." She looked around the room. "Got any bagels? Brown sugar, perhaps?"

Danny scoffed. "No, those things are horrible for you." He opened the top drawer of his desk, revealing some food items inside. "I've got some oatmeal. Or an English muffin."

"Ohmigod, I think you might actually be geriatric." She held up her hands in frustration. "What time is it?" She glanced at Danny's alarm clock. "9:30? Okay, if I get dressed really quickly and run – okay, speed walk, I can make it to the caf before it closes for breakfast." She glanced around the room. "Uh, Danny, where are my clothes?"

Danny walked over to his bed and picked up a neatly folded pile. "Here. I figured they might be gross from the rain and all, so I washed them while you were asleep." He looked bashful, shrugging like it was nothing.

"Wow, Danny. Thank you." She touched his arm briefly in appreciation, then started weaving her arm through her tshirt.

"Woah! What – what're you doing? I'm standing right here!" Danny exclaimed, throwing his hands over his eyes and spinning around quickly.

"Oh come on, it's not like you've never seen a girl in a bathing suit before." Mindy rolled her eyes, continuing to undress.

"Yeah, well, I'm Catholic, so I'll probably get a year in purgatory just for sleeping in the same room as you!" Danny groaned, waiting. Mindy quickly took off Danny's pj's , throwing her dress over her head. She started to pull up the zipper when – _shit._

"Uh, Danny?" She said timidly.

"Are you done yet?" He asked, impatient.

"Could you stop being a prude for one second and help me?" Mindy stomped her foot, causing Danny to turn around. "My zipper's stuck." She sighed. Danny stared at her, dumbfounded. "And I need you to help me fix it," she added. "Come on, Castellano, I'm sure God will forgive you for seeing a sliver of my barren back. Aren't you supposed to 'help thy neighbor', anyway? Isn't that one of your rules?"

Danny broke out of his reverie. He couldn't help but be distracted when she looked so good. Even with her hair flying everywhere and makeup smudged under her eyes, she still looked stunning.

"Danny?" He took a deep breath. "Uh, yeah, sure. Turn around." He placed his mug on his desk as she turned her back to him. He grabbed the zipper, yanking it up. It didn't budge. He tried again.

"Sometimes you have to pull it down and then back up," Mindy suggested. Danny shrugged. It sounded counterproductive, but what did he know about this newfangled fashion?

He did as she asked, pulling it down. Only he put too much force into it, and the zipper went a little too far. Danny got a glimpse of some donut-patterned underwear before Mindy jumped and smacked him.

"What the hell was that for?!" He cried, rubbing his jaw.

"You were checking out my ass! I know it's hard to ignore, but come _on_, Danny!" She looked outraged.

"Look, I promise I won't look at your…yknow. Here. Let me fix your dress." He held out his hand apologetically.

Mindy sighed. She didn't really have any other options, and breakfast was ending soon. She knew that Saturdays were Poptart days. She hated missing Poptart day.

"Fine. But one misplaced finger, and you will be taking the MCAT with nubs!" She warned him, turning around once again.

Danny sighed. He took hold of the zipper gently, slowly guiding it up her back. His fingertips grazed Mindy's skin as it slid to the top. She shivered. They stood that way for a second, Danny's breath hot on her shoulder.

"Uh, thanks," Mindy said softly. She faced him. His mouth was slightly ajar as he gazed down at her. They moved closer and closer, Danny reaching his hand up to brush away a piece of her hair.

A beeping came from Mindy's hand. She glanced down, breaking their trance. It was Jeremy, asking her if she'd made it home alright. Mindy sighed.

"I, uh, I should go," she ticked her head towards the door. "Breakfast ends soon."

Danny coughed. "Yeah. Don't wanna miss Poptart Saturday."

Mindy beamed. "I'll talk to you later though, right?" She asked, hand on the doorknob.

"Yeah. I'll see you in class," he agreed, looking on regretfully.

"Okay then. Bye." Mindy waved, closing the door behind her. Skipping down the hall, she caught the elevator just in time, smiling to herself the whole way.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Okay. So, this chapter is really long, I'm sorry! There was no way to cut it down. I hope you enjoy! As always, any reviews are greatly appreciated! xoxo**

* * *

"So how was the rest of your weekend?" Mindy asked, sitting down next to Danny. He looked around, wondering if he was in the right place.

"What are you looking so crazed for? I can sit near the front every once in awhile," Mindy pulled out her notebook and a pink pen.

"Yeah, if we have a celebrity lecturer," Danny smirked, pleased with himself.

"Okay, Danny. You think you're so smart? We're getting our tests back today. Whoever has the higher score, wins. Loser takes the winner out for pizza." Her eyes dared him.

"Fine. My favorite place is Luigi's, by the way," Danny shook her hand, confident.

"Game on," Mindy replied, staring him down. They smiled as Dr. Smithson walked into the classroom.

"Settle down, everyone. I know, you're wondering whether or not your tests are finally graded. And yes, they are," she smiled. "You're lucky Grey's Anatomy is on hiatus." She sighed. "When I call your name, come up and get your exam. Don't forget, they're curved. So don't go calling your parents and revoking your donations to the university just yet." The class laughed nervously.

"Reed, Jeremy?" Jeremy strolled down the steps, winking at several girls as he accepted his papers. Glancing at the top, he smiled, obviously pleased with his grade.

"Brooke, Kelly?" A timid girl with glasses and long hair sheepishly held out her hand for her test, scurrying back to her seat without even looking at her score.

"Castellano, Daniel?" Danny smiled, sliding out of his seat. He looked at the top immediately, fist pumping on his way back to the front row. "95. Beat that, Lahiri," he smirked.

"Lahiri, Mindy?" Mindy took a deep breath. She wanted to put Danny is his place so badly. He thought he was _so_ smart, but she knew she was just as clever. She held out her hand, breathless. She always got nervous before getting grades back. Even if she knew she did well, there was still a tiny part of her that worried that she had failed. She turned around, finally looking down.

"So, do you mind anchovies?" Danny asked as she sat back down.

Mindy turned to him. "I mean, it's your money, you can get what you want. Read it and weep," she smiled, holding up her exam to face him. Across the top was a red 96.

Danny leaned in, staring Mindy down. "Okay, Lahiri. You won. But next time, it is _on._" His emphasis blew a piece of hair out of her face. She smiled, knowing she'd gotten to the one and only Danny Castellano.

Mindy settled in for the rest of the lecture, reveling in her victory.

* * *

"Does your family, like, own this place or something?" Mindy asked, taking in the pizzeria's décor. It was a cute place, full of little signs with Italian sayings. The booth they were sitting at was covered in maps of Italy.

"You know, contrary to popular belief, I do not know _every _Italian person in America," Danny shook his head.

"But what about…you know?" Mindy gave Danny a look.

"No, what do 'I know'?" He asked.

"_The mafia_!" Mindy whispered from behind her menu. She glanced around, eyeing the waitress.

"Mindy, the mafia doesn't exist anymore." Mindy rolled her eyes, unbelieving. "And even if it did, I'm sure they don't have PTA meetings in the community center."

"Maybe your mom kept you out because she didn't want you to lead a life of crime! She didn't want her eldest son to always be on the run!" Mindy suggested.

"I think you've watched one too many episodes of The Sopranos," Danny replied. "And my ma didn't want to keep me out of the mafia. She wanted me to be – " Danny stopped himself.

"What?" Mindy asked, intrigued.

"She wanted me to be a dancer." Danny sighed. Mindy's mouth opened in surprise.

"So finally, I get to hear the tale of Ballerino Castellano!" She cheered.

"Fine. But if you repeat _one word_ of this to _anyone_…" Danny glanced around. "You'll be swimming with the fishes." He whispered, laying on the accent. Mindy nodded, eyes wide.

Danny took a deep breath. "I was a bit of a pain back in middle school. When my Dad left, I kinda got out of control." Danny shrugged. "So my Ma made me volunteer at the community center working the lights for dance practice. You can guess the rest."

"Oh, no I can't!" Mindy shook her head. "You don't just go from pointing the lights to pointing your toes! There's more to this. And as you can see, we're still waiting on our pizza," she stated matter-of-factly. Danny groaned.

"Okay, there are a few more pieces left to the story." Mindy smiled knowingly. "I was at so many rehearsals, I started to learn the routines myself. Pretty soon, I was practicing at home on the linoleum. Better for turns," he added. "Anyways, I was fine just dancing on my own. Til one day, the lead boy made it onto the soccer team. The girls were out a lifter, and their showcase was the next day. I had watched them do the routine so many times; I knew it like the back of my hand. So I volunteered to fill in for him. And I guess I just never stopped." Danny ended, fiddling with his straw.

"Wow, Danny. That is so sweet. A lost boy turns to dance for control and expression in his life. How artistic," Mindy smiled dreamily, imagining a Young Danny practicing his pirouettes in the kitchen.

"No, don't do that, don't make me into some crappy Lifetime movie," Danny waved his hand. "It wasn't like that."

"The only way to get out his frustration, Danny Castellano pushes himself to become famous, longing for his father to see him on a billboard, wherever he was. Little does he know, his dad made it to the most important show of his life – his audition for the New York Ballet!"

"Okay, that's enough," Danny glances around the pizzeria, nodding at the old couple in the corner. The waitress rounds the counter, carrying their pizza. "This could not come soon enough," Danny thanks her, cutting a piece and shoving it in front of Mindy. "Here. Eat, so you stop talking." Mindy frowns a bit, picking up her slice. She bites in.

"HOLY SHIT! Danny! God, that's so hot!" She waves her hand in front of her mouth, swallowing before gulping down her glass of water.

"Yeah, that's what the steam indicates," Danny replied, his own slice cooling off in front of him. Mindy narrowed her eyes, waiting patiently and trying to ice the roof of her mouth.

Finally, she takes a timid bite. "Good?" Danny asks, already halfway through his own piece. "Mhmmm," she answers, not bothering to stop. Danny smiles, taking another slice.

"Danny, this is amazing!" Mindy takes a second to breathe between bites. "Where did you find it?"

"Eh, their specials are listed in the the newspaper. Figured I'd save a buck and try it out," He shrugged.

"I swear, you are the only person born after 1950 that still reads the newspaper," Mindy shook her head. "But right now, I'm glad you do!" She held up her pizza happily. Danny laughed, realizing she had a string of cheese hanging out of the side of her mouth.

"You uh, you got some schmutz there," he gestures at his lips.

"What?" Mindy asks, wiping the wrong side.

"No, the other-" Danny watches as she completely misses her target. He leans forward, wiping it with his thumb. Mindy freezes as his skin brushes hers.

"There. Better," Danny nods, turning back to his dinner. Mindy smiles, careful to take smaller bites.

In no time, they finished the whole pie.

"Wow. A girl who can actually eat. I like that," Danny says appreciatively. Mindy shrugs. No use in denying it now. He just saw her demolish half a pizza.

The waitress walks back to the table. "Are y'all finished?" They both nod. "Okay, will this be on one check or two?" Mindy looks at Danny, panicked, before he pulls out his wallet. "One," he tells the waitress. "She got the higher exam score, so I'm buying." The waitress laughs, taking Danny's bills. "I'll be right back," she says as she heads towards the register.

"That's right Castellano. Did your pizza taste of sweet, sweet defeat?"

"No, it tasted like tomato sauce and sausage."

"Maybe one day you'll get to my level of witty banter," Mindy rolled her eyes.

"One can only hope," Danny replied sarcastically. The waitress returned, keeping the change as Danny instructed her to do so. He got up, helping Mindy into her jacket and holding the door open as they exited.

They walked back towards campus.

"Thanks for dinner, by the way," Mindy looked at Danny. "I know I only beat you by one point, it really wasn't that big of a deal."

"No, you won fair and square," Danny allowed. He smirked. "Won't happen again, though."

"Oh it won't?" Mindy asked.

"No. Next time, you're gonna buy me sushi."

"Sushi! But that's so much more expensive than pizza!" Mindy cried. "And anyways, that means you have to beat me, Castellame-o."

"I know what it means," he replied smugly. "Enjoy this victory while you can."

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

"I guess we will."

Mindy smiled to herself, swinging her hand by her side. Her pinky brushed his as it moved to and fro. Danny glanced up at her, eyes wide. Mindy smiled, bumping his hand with her own. Danny smiled back, tapping the tips of her fingers.

They walked the rest of the way back to campus this way. It didn't take long before they were at Mindy's dorm.

"Well, this is me." She stopped at the door, glancing up at the brick building. "Home sweet home."

"You need me to walk you to your room?" Danny asked, glancing around him. It was starting to get dark.

"No, I think I'll be safe once I get in the building," Mindy laughed. "But thank you."

Danny nodded. "Sure." He took a step closer, looking everywhere but at her. "Well, goodnight."

"Goodnight." Mindy smiled up at him, shy all of a sudden. They stood there, just looking at one another, waiting for the other to make a move.

Mindy was just about to turn to the door when Danny kissed her.

_Oh my Luigi_, Mindy thought as his lips captured hers. Danny Castellano was one hell of a kisser. She'd forgotten they'd already kissed. But this time was different. She wasn't drunk, and he wasn't a stranger. He was Danny Castellano. And this was so much better.

She moved in closer, wrapping her arms around his neck. She wove her hands through his hair, remembering how it drove him crazy. Danny responded by pulling her in tighter. Mindy smiled. She was too preoccupied by his soft pillow-like lips to notice the people walking by and staring. He was so gentle yet so hungry at the same time. She jumped a little as his tongue traced her teeth, Danny laughing at her reaction.

It didn't take long before they were full-on making out. Mindy was sure her lipstick was all over her face, and the tail of Danny's tshirt hung out of his pants. Someone whistled as they walked by, causing the two to break apart, huffing. They laughed, still holding onto one another.

"So. That was, um –"

"Awesome," Danny finished for her. He scratched the back of his head. "Do you wanna do this again sometime?"

Mindy paused. "_This_ as in make out in public, or _this_ as in hang out?" She asked, confused.

Danny laughed. "Both?" He was still a bit out of breath.

"Both. Both sounds good," Mindy replied, giggling.

"Okay. Good," Danny smiled back. "Well, uh, I better get home."

"Wouldn't want to miss _So You Think You Can Dance_," Mindy gave him a knowing look.

"What?"

"Nevermind," Mindy laughed. "I'll text you."

"Okay. Bye," Danny leaned in to peck her on the cheek. He waved as he walked off.

Having stopped shaking enough to open the door, Mindy slid to the floor. She smiled happily, pinching herself to make sure it wasn't a dream.


	10. Chapter 10

Mindy stopped just outside the Genetics classroom, pausing to use her phone's selfie-mode to check for any flyaways. This was the first time she was gonna see Danny since they kissed, and she wanted to look perfect. They had been texting back and forth, but it took Danny ages to respond because he still had that Nokia. Mindy made a mental note to convince him to get an iPhone later, smiling as she dreamt of all the kissyface emojis she could send him.

She reapplied her lipgloss, taking one last glance before putting her phone away.

"Not a bad sight," she heard behind her. She smiled, whirling around before she was immediately disappointed.

"Oh. Um, thank you?" She replied awkwardly. Her TA Brandon stood in front of her. "I, uh, better go get settl-"

"You know, if you ever need help studying, I'm available." He cut her off, reaching out to touch her shoulder. "Anytime." He winked.

Mindy gagged. "Ugh. Okay, number one, gross. Second of all, how dare you? If you were really doing your job you'd know I don't need a tutor. Touch me again and I'll go Buffy on your ass." She threw his arm off of her, storming into the classroom.

She didn't have to look long before she found him.

"Ohmigod, Danny, you won't believe what just happened," she gushed, sitting next to him. Sure, it wasn't the most graceful way to pick up where they left off, but she was skeeved out.

Danny stared straight ahead, refusing to acknowledge her presence.

"Danny?" Mindy waved her hand in front of his face. "Danny, are you okay? Did you eat too many corn muffins at lunch again? I told you, you have to slow down or you're really gonna mess up your digestion."

Danny turned to her, eyes steely. "No, but I do think I feel something coming back up." He paused. "Next time you need help studying, why don't you ask your boyfriend Brandon instead of using me?"

"Danny!" Mindy gasped. "What the hell? Of course I'm not dating him! He's disgusting!" Mindy gaped up at him as Danny picked up his stuff and moved to the back of the class. She watched as he sat down, folding his arms and refusing to look at her.

She whimpered, sinking into her seat all alone on the front row, spending the rest of the class imagining various ways to dismember a certain T.A.

* * *

"Oi, why the frowny face, Brando?" Sam looked up as Danny slammed his messenger bag down on his desk. "Someone actually refuse your offer?" Sam chuckled to himself, proud of his joke.

"Actually, kind of, yeah," Danny sighed, sitting down and rubbing his eyes. He paused. "I saw Mindy flirting with our TA before class today."

"What? I thought you guys were goin' out!" Sam looked confused.

"You and me both, buddy," Danny shook his head. "I don't know where I went wrong. Did I not text enough? Does she hate me for not knowing who Don Draper is?" Sam shrugged.

"Well, what's this TA got that you don't?" he asked.

"Who knows. The guy's a creep, to be honest. I have no idea why Mindy was talking to him. She's so strong and smart…" he coughed. "I did hear him offer her round-the-clock academic assistance," Danny rolled his eyes.

"Well my man, then you gotta offer her round-the-clock lovin!" Sam smirked.

"What? No," Danny waved him off. "She's obviously made her choice."

"Didya put a ring on it?" Sam asked knowingly.

Danny froze. "What? Did I ask her to _marry _me?! OF COURSE NOT! Marriage is a sacred institution and shouldn't be taken lightly, you know too many people are getting hitched willy nilly these days –"

"Alright, alright, Saint Michael, calm down," Sam replied, cutting Danny's rant short. "I was simply saying, have you guys defined the relationship? You know, say whether you're exclusive or not?"

"What? No. I took her to Luigi's. I kissed her on her front doorstep. I thought that defined it enough." He folded his arms defensively.

"Nah, man! These are different times from back when your Head Honcho walked the earth!" Sam replied, gestured up towards the ceiling briefly. "Now, you gotta discuss the relationship's boundaries. There are open relationships, exclusive relationships, and until you have That Conversation, you are both free to do as you please."

"So Mindy's not my girlfriend?" Danny asked, confused.

"Not yet." Sam smiled wickedly. Danny smirked back, already sweating as he brainstormed his next move.

* * *

"So we had to have a chat about 'our relationship', and really, Mindy, it was just horrific. The poor girl thought we were exclusive," Jeremy explained, flipping idly through his textbook. He leaned back into the trunk of the tree they were sitting under, sighing.

"How silly of her, to assume that you might actually be interested in something serious!" Mindy scoffed. "You said working on the project went well! Why don't you just try dating her?"

"Mindy, how could anyone expect me to stay tied down with this jawline and charming accent?" He brushed his hand along his cheekbones. "Really, it would be a crime against humanity to keep myself locked up." Jeremy shook his head, shrugging. "Guess I'll just have to get back on the ol' horse, as they say."

Mindy sighed. "At least you have a horse to get back onto. I think mine left the stable."

She flopped onto her back, staring up into the tree's leaves. Jeremy landed next to her.

"Danny hasn't called, he hasn't texted, and he refused to even sit next to me in lecture today. I can't believe he thought I was dating that creep Brandon." Mindy huffed, frowning. "I don't know what happened. Our date was amazing. Or at least, _I _thought it was."

"Don't be so down on yourself. You could always take a ride on my stallion," Jeremy added, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh, god no, Jeremy, we've already been down that road," Mindy turned to look at him. "And we all know how that went."

"I can't help that I was born to run free," he replied. "I guess you could say I don't care to be saddled down just yet," he chuckled to himself.

Mindy rolled onto her side. "You are so cheesy," she shoved him playfully. Jeremy nudged her back, thinking aloud as he brainstormed more puns.

Mindy was smacking him with her textbook when she heard his voice.

"Mindy?" He repeated, stopping a few feet from the tree.

Mindy froze. "Hey Danny," she replied, dusting off her cardigan as she stood up. She turned towards Jeremy, who was pulling some leaves from his hair as well. "Uh, Danny, this is Jeremy. He's in Genetics with us."

"Pleasure," Jeremy held his hand out to Danny, who grunted in response. Jeremy narrowed his eyes, pulling his hand back. "I'll leave you two to it," he nodded, gathering up his books. "See you later, Mindy. Dinner, right?"

"Yep! 6 oclock." She waved as he walked towards the sidewalk. "So, what's up?" she turned back to Danny.

"I was gonna see if you wanted to get dinner tonight," Danny shuffled his feet and glanced up at Mindy.

"Oh Danny, I'm so sorry, I already made plans. Do you wanna come eat with me and Jeremy?"

"Nah, that's okay. I've got some lasagna back in my room," he shrugged.

"Oh, okay." Mindy frowned, big puppy eyes searching Danny's face._  
_

_Did she sound disappointed?_ Danny shook his head. No, that wasn't disappointment. That was pity. She probably thought he was so pathetic, asking her to dinner when she had foreign men taking her out. He sighed.

"Well, I gotta get going." He gestured back towards campus.

"Big ballet competition?" Mindy teased halfheartedly.

"Uh, yeah," Danny replied, already backing away. Mindy stood there, confused, watching as he disappeared in the distance.

* * *

**A/N: I know guys, I'm sorry the angst lined up with the show, I totally didn't mean for it to! But, like in the show, good things are to come... :)  
**

**thank you for all of your reviews! I feel like a broken record, but I truly love them! xoxo**


	11. Chapter 11

_Buzz buzz._

Danny's head snapped up, glancing around the library for the source of the noise. He shook his head, muttering about "lack of respect" and "quiet study environment".

_Buzz buzz._

"People should have to turn in their phones at the door," he said to himself, rubbing his temples and trying to refocus on his reading. He admitted, the buzzing wasn't the only thing preventing him from comprehending the words on the page. Another loud character kept popping into his mind, distracting him.

_Buzz buzz._

"Okay, come on!" Danny raised his voice, looking around for any incriminating evidence. "Have a little respect for the sanctity of the library!" The two girls across the table stared at him, wide-eyed. Danny scratched his head, then bent over the table, listening closely.

_Buzz buzz._

Danny's heart dropped. He groaned, reaching into his backpack and grabbing his phone. The screen was lit up, banner exclaiming that he had five new messages. Danny glanced up at the two girls who were now shaking their heads disapprovingly. He quickly silenced the phone, then smiled guiltily, typing in his passcode.

_U know what? Screw U! _The text message screamed. Danny froze. _What the hell? _Taken aback, he quickly scrolled to the top, wondering who could possibly be mad at him. Then he saw the name.

_Mindy_, he sighed. He hadn't heard from her since the day he'd seen her flirting with that exchange student Jeremy. He'd had such high hopes, walking up to the tree. Then he'd seen her lying in the grass with _him, _and making plans for dinner with _him. _Danny had been such a fool, to think that she'd liked him. He shook his head free from the memory.

They hadn't talked since that day, so why was she texting him now? It was a Thursday night. They didn't have any homework due or anything…He flipped back through the other messages, reading them in reverse to see the order she'd sent them in.

_Nmbr one: How dare you?_

_I can't belive yu thot I was goin out wit tht creep Brndn!_

_Ur such a jerk_

_But ur so hot_

Danny smiled for a second, forgetting the last text. Why was she mad at him? If anything, he had a right to be mad at her! She led him on, kissing him with her glossy lips and making him think she liked him!

_Buzz buzz._

Danny covered his face, wondering how she was gonna attack him next.

_Tht kiss didn't meen n e thing 2 me_

Danny's breath caught in his throat. He could already feel the blood rushing to his ears.

Didn't mean anything, huh? So he _was _just a plaything, someone for her to call up when she got bored.

Well he was done playing.

Throwing his books into his backpack, he stormed out of the library. He searched through his contacts quickly, jamming the call button angrily.

"Hey Prentiss?" He asked, huffing as he stomped back towards his dorm. "Where can a guy get to know someone tonight?"

"You picked the best night to come out!" Peter shouted over the music, handing Danny another beer. "This is Babecon 2k14! We're having a mixer with tri chi. Loads of chicks ready to bump and grind. The men of frat row have your back!" He pointed at one of his friends across the room, causing them to howl in unison.

Danny scanned the room. Peter was right. There were plenty of buff, pastel-laden guys, but there were also plenty of girls. Girls who would be excited to dance with him and make out with him. Girls who wouldn't jerk him around. They both knew what they wanted. They didn't have to have this big ordeal about "defining the relationship". Danny grinned, excited, already halfway done with his drink.

"What's her name?" Danny shouted into Peter's ear, nodding towards a blonde girl sitting on the couch. She was laughing at something one of her friends said, playing with her necklace.

"Why don't you go find out?" Peter suggested, shoving Danny in her direction. He almost tripped, regaining his balance just as he reached the girl. He stood in front of her, all of a sudden feeling much less confident than before. He took another swig of beer.

"Hi. I'm Danny Castellano. Pre-med." He stuck out his hand.

"Christina Gerscher. Studio art," she laughed, taking his hand awkwardly. "Here, have a seat." She patted the couch next to her. Danny squeezed into the tiny space, stretching his arms across the back.

"Wow, you're so big we might not have room for you," Christina said, looking at Danny's body appreciatively. Danny smirked. He could get used to this.

"So, uh, you're in a sorority?" He asked. He wasn't sure how to go about this. It wasn't his style, just approaching women head-on.

"No, my friend Tracey is," she pointed towards a girl who was currently making out with Peter. Peter waved, not breaking for one second. "She just brought me along," Christina explained.

"Oh. Uh, that's cool. So do you –" Danny was cut off by Christina's lips. _She doesn't waste any time_, he thought appreciatively, awkwardly trying not to bump her with his beer.

She didn't seem to mind, grabbing Danny's neck like he was the last lifeboat in _Titanic_. He assumed it was supposed to turn him on, but it really just made him aware of how much he was sweating. She started to run her hands through his hair, causing Danny to think back to another party where he ended up kissing another strange girl…

Christina's fingers were nothing like Mindy's. Mindy used hers to massage his scalp, ruffling up his hair. Christina, however, felt more like she was checking for lice. He sighed, disappointed, which unfortunately only caused Christina to kiss him harder.

_Dammit! I will not let her ruin this for me! _Danny cursed Mindy, trying to free her from his mind. But the harder he tried, the more she flooded his thoughts. He couldn't help remembering Mindy's thick hair in his hands, or the way she smelled of citrus. He smiled to himself as he remembered her victorious grin.

_Oh no_, he decided. _She doesn't get to win this round._ He released his hold on Christina.

"Somethin' wrong?" She asked, smiling sexily.

Danny groaned, even angrier now. He couldn't believe a little liar like Mindy Lahiri – no, _Chloe Silverado_ – could ruin his night.

"I'm sorry. I gotta go do something important," Danny replied, standing up quickly.

_That was a mistake_. He wobbled for a second, regaining his balance.

"It was nice…chatting with you," he winced at his awkwardness, exiting before he could make a bigger fool of himself. He waved to Peter, but he was too busy making out with Tracey to notice.

Danny ambled towards the front door, determined to finish this.

* * *

**Seriously, you guys are too sweet! Thank you thank you thank you for all of the kind reviews! I reread them all the time. I snapshot them on my phone like a dork. They make me smile so hard! I hope you are enjoying the story, and there's much more to come!**

**xoxo**


	12. Chapter 12

"Open up, Lahiri!"

Mindy jumped as she heard banging on the door. She paused _Sleepless in Seattle_, placing the half-empty wine bottle on the floor and grabbing her biology textbook from underneath her bed. She crept over towards the door. Whoever was banging was standing too close to the eyehole for her to see any identifying facial features.

"Leave me alone!" She screamed. "I've knocked a guy out with a trophy before and I'll do it again!"

"Oh please, you didn't even hit Sam!" Danny replied, stopping his attack on the door.

"Danny?" Mindy asked cautiously. Her sense of perception wasn't so keen at the moment.

"Yes, it's Danny," he yelled back. "Who else would it be?"

"Leo DiCaprio, come to take me as his stowaway wife!"

"Why would you be scared then? You love Leo DiCaprio!"

"1994 Leo! We've been over this before. I've told you a thousand times, Leo hit his peak when-"

Danny resumed his banging on the door. "Wouldya let me in already?!"

"Fine! Grumpy old bat," Mindy muttered, opening the door enough for Danny to slide inside.

"Really? You thought you could fight me with a biology textbook?" Danny scoffed. "It would take a lot more than that to get past me." He puffed up his chest cockily, causing Mindy to scoff in exasperation.

"Okay, that's enough, Casanova," Mindy rolled her eyes. "I am _way_ stronger than I look."

"Sure you are." He peered around the room, searching for any other potential weapons. "I'll buy you a bat later," Danny concluded, hands already on his hips. He shuffled from foot to foot, trying to think of a way to begin. He'd brainstormed his argument on the way there, but the entire English language seemed to fly out of his head the second he saw Mindy in her pale pink pajamas.

"So, what's up?" Mindy asked, trying to fold her arms nonchalantly. She had been watching a movie alone in her room, drowning her sorrows in $5 wine. That meant no bra necessary. And Danny definitely had a wandering eye.

"'What's up?'" Danny asked. His eyes widened in anger. "'What's UP?'" Mindy nodded, alarmed. "What's up is that I'm sick of you! You barged into my life, making out with me at that stupid party, and now I can't get you out of my head!" Mindy began to reply. "No!" Danny shouted. "Let me finish! You don't get to text me and tell me to go screw myself! I'm not the one who went around flirting with a dozen different guys after our date!"

"Hey!" Mindy narrowed her eyes, jabbing a finger in his direction. "Don't blame me! You never asked me out again! I thought you weren't interested! _I'm _not the one who stopped talking to me for no good reason!" She replied. "And what guys are you even talking about?!"

"Your lovely 'friend' Jeremy! And don't forget Brandon!" Danny scoffed. "Really, Min, way to pick winners."

"Exsqueeze me? I'm not interested in dating him. And Brandon is so skeevy! I can't believe you think that I would date him!" Mindy shouted back, enraged.

"Well it sure seemed like it before class on Monday!"

"If you had shut up for one second and listened to me, I was trying to tell you that he was creeping me out! But you went ahead and believed what you wanted to believe! I can't believe I thought I liked you! God, you're such a jerk!" Mindy yelled.

"I'm the jerk? You're the jerk! You played with my emotions!" Danny took a step forward.

"I 'played with your emotions'? Ha! That would mean you'd have to show some emotion for me to manipulate!" Mindy laughed, moving closer as well.

"You did! You used your little dresses and your annoying Lilly whateverzer planner and you weaseled your way into my life!"

"It's Lilly _Pullitzer_!" She screamed back. They were toe to toe now, shouting.

"Lilly Pullit_zen!"_

"_Pullitzer!"_

"_Pullitzen!" _

"_Pullitzer!" _

They were both breathing heavily, inches from each other's face. The vein in Danny's head was sticking out, and Mindy was red as a tomato. They stood there for a second, inhaling each other's hot breath.

And then Mindy grabbed him and kissed him.

Caught off guard, Danny couldn't resist. _This isn't what you came here to do, Castellano! Get control of the situation!_ He chided himself. But his body reciprocated the feelings his mind wouldn't accept.

He responded to Mindy, clutching her as if she were slipping away. She tasted like cheap wine, but hey, he probably tasted like cheap beer. _A match made in heaven_, he thought, running his hands all over her body. He bit her bottom lip roughly, moving towards her earlobe.

Mindy gasped, shoving him towards her bed. Danny's eyebrow twitched up wickedly.

"God, you are so smug! But you're so hot!" Mindy let out an exasperated sigh, moving to plant kisses along Danny's neck and nipping along the way. He reveled in the sensation, spinning her around and pinning her to the bed. She squealed in surprise.

"Oh yeah? So you think I look good?" Danny asked, smirking while Mindy unbuttoned his shirt.

"Yeah, and you know it," Mindy replied, running her hands up and down his chest.

"Oh, I dunno, I could always use some reassurance-"

"Oh shut up," Mindy rolled her eyes.

"Gladly," Danny replied, capturing her lips in his once again.


	13. Chapter 13

Mindy woke up feeling like she was suffocating. Gasping for air, she clutched at what felt like a python constricting her neck. The snake relaxed, pulling away from her.

_What the hell_? Mindy thought, desperately feeling around her for signs of the jungle she had apparently ventured into. She opened her eyes to familiar walls.

And a not-so familiar bedmate.

Stifling a gasp with her hand, she glanced to her left. Yep, that was definitely a shirtless Danny Castellano sleeping in her bed. His arm – the elusive python, she assumed – draped around the edge of her pillow. That didn't explain, however, the throbbing in her head. Or why she was wearing a minimal amount of clothing.

_What did we _do _last night? Did I _sleep _with Danny Castellano? _Mindy rubbed her head, immediately regretting it. She felt around towards the back of her skull. It was tender. She glared incriminatingly at her headboard.

_Oh god_, she thought, feeling up her locks. _I have sex hair. It's gonna take a load of conditioner to get these knots out, _she groaned, causing Danny to stir. She held her breath as he quickly resettled.

_He can't wake up to see my like this! _She panicked, remembering she had a stash of lipgloss stored in her top desk drawer. Ever so slowly, she reached out, grabbing whatever she could find. She praised the CoverGirl gods, finding her favorite pink lipgloss _and _a stick of gum, chewing it slowly so as not to make any noise. She carefully spit it out into the wrapper, applying her lipgloss.

Now presentable, Mindy took a second to study her sleeping buddy. Danny looked so peaceful, chest rising up and down with each shallow breath. She curled into his side, reveling in this chance to see him unguarded. She wasn't sure what had happened. Or what they even were. But she was going to enjoy this moment. Even his hair was adorable, a little piece curling against his forehead like Clark Gable. Mindy smiled, reaching out to brush it back.

Danny stirred, reaching towards the headboard and stretching. "Morning," he exhaled, yawning. "Wow. You look…great," he complimented, turning his head to the side in confusion.

"I probably look so gross right now, I just woke up and I like, don't have on any makeup or anything, and I probably have morning breath," Mindy hid her mouth behind her hand, trying to act nonchalant.

"Don't worry, I do too," Danny replied, stretching again. He was just leaning in to kiss her when a beeping came from somewhere in the room.

"Shit! Shitshitshit!" he cried, hopping out of the bed. Mindy took a second to appreciate the view before throwing on some shorts and assessing the situation.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"I'm late for class!" Danny explained as he jumped into his jeans. "Have you seen my shirt anywhere?" Mindy pointed to some red fabric balled up on the floor. "Thanks," he nodded, misbuttoning half of the buttons.

"Here, let me," Mindy got up, walking over to Danny. She glanced up at him as she fixed the buttons. He watched her as she did so, brushing some hair behind her ear somberly.

"Okay, I'm sorry, I gotta go. We'll talk later, k?" Danny asked softly, looking her deeply in the eyes.

"Yeah, sure," Mindy agreed, a little disappointed. She had hoped they could discuss what the hell had happened, but that would have to wait.

"Alright. See you later." Danny paused at the door, obviously in a hurry. Seemingly unable to control himself, he came a few feet back into the room, stopping to give Mindy a peck on the cheek, then ran out the door and down the hall. Mindy sighed, wondering when her life would become more like _The Bachelor_ and less like _Big Brother_.

* * *

"Dude, classic move!" Peter held up his hand for Danny to high five, slapping it himself when Danny didn't. "The school bit always works! Makes you look like you really care about grades and all that crap. Nice exit strategy." He swung his feet happily, grabbing a pen from the cup sitting next to him on the counter of the nurse's station. He glanced around before tucking it into the pocket of his corduroys.

"I'm telling you, it wasn't an 'exit strategy', Peter! I really did have class!" Danny protested, pacing back and forth in the hallway of the hospital.

Peter sighed. "Okay, let's pretend that you really did 'have class,'" he air quoted. "What're you gonna do now? Have you guys –" he shuddered "- talked about it?"

"No, I had class all day and now I'm here," Danny explained. "I told her we could discuss it later. Pete, what am I gonna do?"

"Tell her you have The Herp?" Peter suggested, shrugging. "I dunno, man. Usually I just rely on my shitty personality to prevent second dates."

Danny groaned, rubbing his eyes. "But I actually like this girl! I think. I'm not sure. She drives me crazy. But those lips of hers…"

Peter guffawed. "Oh man, you got it bad!"

Danny sighed. "Yeah. Yeah, I do."

Peter hopped off the desk. "I'm gonna do you a solid," he began, holding onto Danny's shoulders. Danny nodded, prepared for Peter's advice.

"This is how it's gonna go down. You're gonna say you wanna date her. You'll hold hands at the basketball games, make out in the back of the movie theater, try to do homework together but really end up studying anatomy, if ya know what I mean," Peter winked, causing Danny to cringe. "And those first few weeks are gonna be great. But then she'll get clingy. She'll want to cuddle after sex, she'll want to know where this is going, and yada yada yada. You'll break up and have to duck behind trees every time you see her on campus, wishing you'd never dated in the first place." Peter sighed. "I've seen it happen a dozen times to my brothers."

Danny shook his head. "I dunno, Mindy seems different. She doesn't go to football games unless they're televised, and then it's only because she has the chance to be on ESPN."

Peter leaned down to Danny's level. "I'm telling you man, don't do it. If you value your manhood at all, don't go down that path."

Danny sighed. He guessed Peter was right. Mindy did drive him crazy half the time. And she seemed like the type of girl to get attached – all caught up in those unrealistic movies of hers.

He glanced up at Peter. "Alright. I won't date Mindy."

Peter smiled. "That's my boy." He leaned in, gathering Danny up in a bro hug. "Now get out of those scrubs, I'm treating you to a brewski!" He patted Danny's face to punctuate how pleased he was with Danny's choice.

Danny rubbed his cheek, not feeling quite as relieved as he'd thought he would be as he headed off towards the lockers.

* * *

"You slept with Danny Castellano?! Of the front-row elitists?" Jeremy burst out, incredulous. Mindy shushed him quickly, glancing around the dining hall to see if anyone else had heard.

"Yes, okay, I slept with Danny!" Mindy sighed, letting her face fall into her hands.

"Mindy, darling, you're getting Ranch dressing in your hair," Jeremy pointed out, reaching over to pull it out of her salad. Mindy groaned, angrily grabbing a napkin and wiping.

"Great. Just great. Could this day get any better?" She asked sarcastically.

"At least it started out with a little, yknow," Jeremy alluded, winking. "Right?"

"What? No, Jer, we didn't have any time for _that_," she replied. "We might've, but his stupid alarm went off and he had to rush to class."

Jeremy's face fell. "Oh, Mindy."

Mindy froze. "'Oh, Mindy' what?"

Jeremy shook his head. "You got played."

"Exsqueeze me?"

"It's the oldest trick in the book. Set an alarm before you go over, so that when you wake up, you can pretend like you have class. It's amateur, really," he explained.

"But Danny doesn't seem like that kind of guy!" Mindy protested. "He was so sweet on our date. And it definitely didn't seem like he had _planned_ on staying the night…"

"It never does," Jeremy replied, shaking his head with disbelief. "You're just too trusting to see it."

"Well, we haven't even had a chance to talk about it yet. He's had class all day," Mindy shrugged, trying to appear calm while her insides squirmed. She'd barely been able to focus in her own lectures. In physics, she'd tried to calculate the trajectory of their potential relationship. In English, she'd debated their similarity to Lizzie Bennett and Mr. Darcy. And in gym, she'd plain gotten hit in the head with the ball because she was too busy daydreaming about Danny.

"What are you going to say?" Jeremy asked. Mindy gave him a dumb look. "When you 'talk about it'?"

"Oh," Mindy sighed. "I'm not sure. I think if we did this, it could be great, you know?"

"Uh…sure?" Jeremy answered dutifully.

Mindy frowned. "What is it? Come on. You know you're just dying to rip my dreams to shreds."

"Of course I never want to see you hurt, Mindy, and that's the whole point," Jeremy began. "But I know this guy. I _am _that guy. College men only want one thing. And as soon as we get it, we bolt." He shrugged.

"Okay, number one: how dare you? I am not something to 'get'. And number two: maybe scoundrels like you feel that way, but Danny's different. He has all these old-fashioned beliefs about marriage and newspapers and –"

"And that's all an act. I've done it myself dozens of times," Jeremy looked at her with pity. "This guy is bad news, Mindy."

She sighed. He hadn't texted her all day. And he really did jump out of bed that morning. "I guess you're right. We fight so much anyways…it just wouldn't work." Jeremy nodded, rubbing her shoulder supportively.

"Well I've got to head to class," he gestured towards central campus. "I'll see you in a bit, right? We'll go out and have a drink and laugh about this afterwards."

"Sounds good," Mindy replied halfheartedly. "I'll see you later." Jeremy waved, leaving Mindy to her thoughts.


	14. Chapter 14

**Just a teensy-tiny mini-chapter for you all! Think of it as more of an interlude. I can't say it enough - THANK YOU for all of your lovely lovely reviews. Even the ones expressing outrage at the angst ;) (omg! emoji porn! I must like you guys!) I hope you enjoy, and thank you for continuing to read!**

* * *

Mindy peered around the corner. Yep, there he was. Waiting outside their Genetics classroom, arms folded, scanning the crowd for her.

She scooted back to her hiding space. _Come on, Mindy! You can do this! It's not even a real breakup. You're just talking. Specifically about how this would never work, remember?_ She took a deep breath, then stepped out into the corridor.

_When did this hallway get so long_? She thought, the distance to Danny seemingly neverending. He noticed her about halfway, eyes glued to her form. Mindy lowered her own, tucking her hair behind her ear, unable to keep such intense eye contact.

After what felt like forever, she finally reached him.

"Hey." She glanced up through her lashes, shy.

"Hey." Danny replied, frozen like his own Italian statue. Mindy watched his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed nervously. "Can we talk?"

_Here we go._ "Yeah, of course," Mindy replied. Danny gestured to the empty classroom next to them. They ambled into it awkwardly.

"So." Mindy folded her arms. She'd had a whole speech prepared, practicing it like it was her big monologue at the end of the movie. But she couldn't get the words to come out.

"So." Danny sighed, then inhaled deeply. "I…I think the other night was a mistake." He held his breath, waiting for her answer.

Mindy raised her head, smiling weakly. "Yeah. Yeah, I do too."

Danny's breath whooshed out, disbelieving. "What? You do?"

Mindy nodded. "Don't you? We were both drunk, we were angry at each other, it was just a mess." She shrugged. "And if we dated, that's what it would be like all the time, right?"

"Right," Danny agreed. But the tension in his chest made him think otherwise.

"I think we should just be friends," Mindy offered. _You're almost done, girl. You're almost there._

"Oh of course," Danny replied hurriedly. "We can still hang out and, yknow, grab dinner or something."

"Definitely. Just no romance," Mindy nodded, smile faltering.

"No romance," Danny repeated, nodding as well.

They stood there in silence.

"Well, I guess that's all there is to it," Danny said, sounding just as awkward as he felt. This pseudo-breakup was new territory for him.

"Yep." Mindy pulled out her phone, checking the time. "We better get to class." She readjusted the strap on her backpack, Danny following her out of the empty classroom and into their usual one next door. He watched sadly as she turned up the steps, climbing back up to her usual spot next to Jeremy, who patted her on the back. He said something that made her laugh as she settled in, pulling out that damn Lilly Pullitzer notebook.

Danny smiled weakly, moving to his own seat on the front row and getting ready for the long class that lay ahead.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: I know I just updated the past two days, but I have no self-control y'all. So here's CH 15! Hope you like!**

* * *

Dragging her spoon through her mashed potatoes, Mindy sighed as she realized her inadvertent drawing. Two little holes and half-circle of gravy formed a sad face. Mindy pouted, mirroring her food.

It was spring break. She was supposed to be out having fun, getting drunk and tanning in Panama City. But here she was, sitting in the dining hall, alone. Even the weather was moody and overcast.

Thunder cracked. "Sounds about right," Mindy sighed, sipping some of her pink lemonade. She couldn't believe her luck. Of course her dad's medical conference would line up exactly with her break. She would rather be here and alone than home in that big, empty house with all of those memories. But right now, she just wished she were anywhere else.

"Anything good today?" a familiar voice asked from behind her. Mindy whipped around.

"Danny!" She cried, quickly pulling back so as not to seem too excited to see him. She coughed, trying to play it cool. "Uh, I guess the mashed potatoes are alright," she suggested, quickly scrambling her potato art with her spoon.

"Eh, they're nothing compared to my Ma's," Danny shrugged. They both remained quiet, not sure what to say. They hadn't talked since they decided to break it off – whatever "it" was. Danny would awkwardly nod if he saw Mindy in the hall, and she had devised a new set of ways to get to class to avoid him. It was almost as if they had never met. Until now.

"Can I sit?" he asked, gesturing to the seat across from Mindy. She nodded, fixing her hair as he sat down.

"So, uh, why aren't you home for spring break?" she asked, hoping to sound more casual than she felt.

"One could ask you the same thing," Danny smirked. "I decided to help out at the hospital some more this week. Everyone leaves for break, so they could use it." He shrugged. "And yknow, just trying to fill my time. Seem to have a lot of it lately," he glanced up quickly. Mindy pretended not to notice, becoming absorbed in her drink. "What about you?"

"Dad away at a conference…big, empty house…brings up bad memories." Mindy shrugged, shy all of a sudden. Danny nodded, understanding that she didn't want to elaborate. "That's cool that you're working at the hospital more this week, though," she noted, changing the subject. "What do you do over there?"

"Oh, yknow, stock hospital gowns and make the daily Jello rounds," he smiled. "Nothing big."

"Oooh, Jello! Do you get to eat any of it?" Mindy asked, excited. "The green's my favorite kind."

Danny chuckled. "Me and Peter have one every once in awhile. But you didn't hear that from me," he whispered, laughing.

Mindy giggled, nodding. "Your secret is safe with me."

"Good." Danny smiled. He paused, then took a cautionary breath. "You know, if you're not too busy this week you should come volunteer with me. We could use the help," he suggested, not daring to look her in the eye.

"Really? You think that would be a good idea, given…?" Mindy gestured between them awkwardly.

"Yeah, I mean, we're friends now, right?" Danny asked, looking her in the eyes. Mindy swallowed, nodding.

"Yeah. We're friends."

"Well then, everything should be fine."

"Okay. It's decided. I'm volunteering at the hospital this week!" Mindy smiled, happy to finally have something to do. Danny smiled back.

"Well, first they'll have to do a background check. So don't get your hopes up just yet…" he added teasingly.

"Oh come on! You don't believe I actually have a record, do you?" Mindy asked, incredulous.

Danny shrugged. "I dunno, I just wonder how a college student can afford such expensive shoes," Danny smirked, looking pointedly at her feet. They were the ones she wore to their first presentation meeting.

Mindy rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Danny. Don't be mad that you don't have as affordable a style as me." She took a bite of her mashed potatoes, smug.

"Yeah, yeah," Danny replied, smiling himself.

They sat there and finished lunch, Danny swiping his finger through and stealing some of Mindy's potatoes, laughing as he dodged her attempts to hit him.

* * *

"Danny, that was _amazing_," Mindy gushed, pulling her hairnet from her head. They were walking out of the OR, both sweaty and tired.

"I can't believe Dr. Smithson let us sit in on the birth!" Danny agreed. "It must be because we're her top students," he laughed, nudging Mindy. She smiled.

"Definitely. I can't wait to be doing that for the rest of my life!" She cheered, jumping up and down.

"I know what you mean," Danny nodded. "It was so intense. We just helped bring _life_ into the world!"

Mindy sighed happily. "Yes, yes we did Danny. It was so exhilarating! I can't go to sleep _now_!"

Danny paused. "You wanna grab some crappy coffee?" He hitched his thumb over his shoulder, pointing towards the hospital cafeteria.

Mindy nodded. "Sounds perfect."

* * *

Finally having figured out how to work the coffee machine, they collapsed into two seats at a table. Danny studied the girl in front of him. She somehow still looked amazing, hair tangled from the hairnet and dampened with sweat. He had to actively restrain himself from brushing a few stray strands out of her face.

"That's gonna be us, Danny. Everyday," Mindy mused out loud.

"What?" He asked, startled. Could she read his face?

"Delivering babies. That's gonna be our life's work," She replied, lost in a daydream.

Danny smirked. "Won't get much sleep, unfortunately."

"But it'll be so worth it," Mindy countered. She sighed happily before face fell.

"What's wrong?" Danny asked, worried.

"What if we mess up? What if something goes wrong?" Her eyes were wide with fear.

"That's what residency is for, so that we can learn and practice before the real thing," Danny assured her.

"I guess you're right. I'm just so scared." She blinked, faltering. "Danny, what if we don't make it into medical school? The rate is so low. And then there's school loans, and residency, and-"

"Hey, hey. Calm down," Danny spoke softly. "You're gonna be fine. You're gonna make it into medical school, Min. You're brilliant." He said, grabbing one of her hands and rubbing his thumb against her soft skin in comforting circles. Mindy glanced down for a second, but didn't pull back.

"You really think so?" She asked, smiling.

"Yeah," Danny nodded. "You're one of the smartest people I know."

Mindy beamed. "Thanks, Danny. You're not so bad yourself, either."

Danny chuckled, nodding. "Thanks, Min."

"The cafeteria is closed now!" A janitor announced, sweeping his way towards their table. Mindy and Danny hurriedly gathered their trash, throwing it in the garbage can before walking outside.

"So, I'll see you tomorrow?" Danny asked hopefully.

"Yeah. See you tomorrow," Mindy smiled. She started walking away, then stopped. She turned around, ran to Danny and engulfed him in a hug. He laughed, taken by surprise.

"What was that for?" He asked. Her happy energy was contagious.

"Nothing, just a good day!" Mindy called as she skipped over towards her dorm. "Bye!"

Danny chuckled, shaking his head as he made his way over to his own.


	16. Chapter 16

"Hello?" Danny answered his phone groggily, glancing at his alarm clock. 9:53. He groaned, still half-asleep. Normally, he didn't sleep this late, but all the extra hours at the hospital were kicking his butt.

"Grab your swimsuit and a towel, my friend, we're going to the beach!"

"Who is this?" Danny asked, confused.

He heard a huff. "Wow, Danny. We've only spent thirty hours together this week. I can't believe you don't recognize my charming, sweet voice." Danny could just hear her arms folding in indignation.

"Mindy. Of course. Who else could it be?" Danny sighed, rubbing his eyes.

"Well, it's not like anyone else calls you anyway," Mindy teased. "Now get ready! The beach is three hours away, and we're losing prime tanning time!"

"The beach? What? Min, what are you talking about?"

"What I'm talking about, Danny, is a spontaneous road trip. It's spring break, and I know you don't have a shift at the hospital today. Rita told me we could both have it off. So come on! What are you waiting for?"

"I dunno, Min. I was really looking forward to sleeping in and catching up on some reading-"

"The Bible will still be there tomorrow, I promise," Mindy interrupted, exasperated. Her voice softened. "Danny, please. We've been stuck on this dead campus all week. The sun is finally shining, and we only have a couple days of break left. Let's take advantage of them."

Danny couldn't resist the pleading in her voice. "Fine, fine. We'll go to the beach."

"Great!" Mindy squealed. "Pick me up in half an hour!"

"Wait, why am I the one who has to drive-" Danny heard the click of the line before he could finish the question. Sighing, he pushed off his covers and made his way over to his dresser to find his bathing suit.

* * *

"What's all that for?" Danny asked, stopping the car in front of Mindy's dorm. She stood on the stoop, two bags at her feet and another in the crook of her arm. She lifted her sunhat to peer at him through her sunglasses.

"What do you mean, 'all that'? I packed light!" She exclaimed. "I brought a towel to lay out on, another to dry myself off with, my special sunscreen – you know, the kind ScarJo uses – a change of clothes for dinner, the last three editions of Cosmo, snacks, and a Frisbee to 'accidentally' throw near the hot lifeguard's station." She shook her head. "I made so many sacrifices!"

Danny rolled his eyes. "Fine, but you're carrying it." Nevertheless, he picked up one of her bags and placed it in the trunk, smiling.

After shuffling everything around, they were finally ready to go. Mindy cheered as they sped past the Shulman University sign, clapping excitedly. In no time, they were on the highway, heading for the coast.

It wasn't long before Mindy was bored.

"Let's get some music goin!" she declared, reaching for the dial. She listened thoughtfully as she moved past the static stations, finally settling on one.

"What is this crap?" Danny asked, gesturing to the auto-tuned noise coming out of the radio.

"How dare you! This is Katy Perry's latest single!" Mindy chided, turning it up even louder. She began to sing along. "Cal. girls, we're unforgettable. Daisy dukes, bikinis on top! Sunkissed skin, so hot, it'll melt your popsicle-"

"Oh, yeugh!" Danny cried, shutting off the radio. "We're not listening to your pornographic music. What happened to the _good _California girls? The ones the Beach Boys sang about?" He shook his head, disgusted. "No, it's my car, so we're gonna listen to my music."

"Fine." Mindy sat back in her seat, folding her arms.

Danny fiddled with the dial, face lighting up as soon as he heard a few notes. "Here we go. Now this is _real_ music," he smiled, gesturing to the radio.

"Danny, this doesn't even have a catchy tune or a Nicki Minaj feature," Mindy protested, huffing.

"You can't be serious!" Danny exclaimed. "Just listen to those lyrics." He tapped the steering wheel, humming along. He began to sing softly to himself. "Weather-wise, it's such a lovely day, you just say the words and we'll beat the birds down to Ac apulco Bay…"

Mindy giggled. "Oh god, Danny, you call that singing?"

"Hey!" He protested. "My Ma says I have the voice of an angel!"

"Yeah, maybe one who just had his tonsils taken out!"

Danny scoffed, but his smile told her he wasn't offended. He smiled deviously, singing louder now. "Once I get you up there where the air is rarified, We'll just glide, starry-eyed. Once I get you up there I'll be holding you so near, You may hear all the angels cheer 'cause we're together." His voice cracked all over as he snapped with the beat.

Mindy groaned, giving Danny even more confidence. He took a large gulp of air, then began belting. "Weather-wise it's such a lovely day, You just say the words and we'll beat the birds down to Ac apulco Bay. It's perfect for a flying honeymoon, they say, Come fly with me, let's fly, let's fly away!" he ended, basically shouting, voice completely devoid of any tonal quality. Mindy couldn't help it. She cackled, laughing along with Danny.

"Don't quit your day job," she suggested between snorts. Danny shook his head, smirking and enjoying her laughter.

"Yeah, well, that's what real music sounds like," Danny coughed, trying to regain his composure and not entirely succeeding. "Just thought you should hear some Sinatra before you brainwash yourself with all this Lady Googoo-Gaga crap."

"It's Lady Gaga," Mindy corrected, "and her music isn't crap. But I guess neither is Sinatra's," she granted.

"Good. Cuz it sounds like they're playing his stuff all day," Danny declared smugly. Mindy rolled her eyes, pretending to be annoyed. A beep coming from her lap then caught her attention.

"What's that?" Danny asked, eyes still on the road.

"Just my dad checking in."

"Didn't you say he was at a conference or something this week?"

"Yeah, he is. He's a podiatrist."

Danny laughed. "Oh, good. So he can fix your feet after you ruin them with those crazy heels you wear."

"Hey, they are so worth it! No pain no gain!" Mindy protested.

"Whatever you say," Danny replied, unbelieving. "Why aren't you home then? You could have the house all to yourself, throw a crazy party…makeout with strangers to get out of running naked laps – " He teased, glancing over at Mindy, who was frozen, wide-eyed. "I'm kidding, Min. But really, why aren't you home? Don't you miss your friends and your family?"

She sighed. "No, not really. My parents were the first of our family to come to America, so no one else is in the area. And I…" she paused.

"You what?" Danny asked worriedly, looking away from the road when he heard the change in her tone.

"I don't like to be home alone. There are too many memories. My dad hasn't thrown out any of my mom's stuff, so it's just like, everywhere I turn, I'm reminded of how she's not here anymore. I can't even sit through _The Wedding Planner_ anymore, because we used to watch it together and call out sick from school and work." Mindy shook her head. "No, being home hurts too much. I'd rather be at Shulman and bored out of my mind than trapped there, thinking too much." She fiddled with the hem of her dress, quiet.

"Hey," Danny reached out, grabbing her hand and squeezing. "I get it." He glanced over at her, offering an understanding smile. "I'm sorry I asked. I didn't mean to bring something painful up."

"No, it's okay. Everyone asks sometime. And besides, it's good to remember her a little bit. I don't want to forget her." Mindy squeezed back, pulling her hand back into her lap. Danny nodded.

They sat in silence, both thinking of their lost parents and wondering how their lives would be different if they were still in them.

Mindy sighed. "Well, if we're gonna be listening to this kind of music for the entire trip, I'm gonna try to sleep," she announced, curling up in her seat. She pushed the seatbelt behind her, refusing to deal with its presence.

"Alright," Danny chuckled, glancing over. He smiled to himself, focusing on the road once again.

* * *

Mindy woke up and immediately regretted it. Glancing around, she tried to sit up, but a pain in her neck suggested otherwise. What angle had she slept at, ninety degrees? She rubbed her neck, sitting up awkwardly to look out the window and wipe some drool from the corner of her mouth.

"Morning, sunshine," Mindy jumped at the sound of Danny's voice coming from outside the car. He leaned down, peering through the driver's side window. Behind him, Mindy saw a gas pump. "Have a nice nap?"

"Uh, yeah," Mindy replied, heart still recovering from the shock. "I dreamt I was married to Channing Tatum and he was teaching me how to dance, but our parents didn't approve and-"

"Alright, so you had a normal dream. That's good," Danny interrupted, already over Mindy's story. He grabbed something from the top of the car, handing it to Mindy. "Here. I got you something from the convenience store. Figured you might be hungry."

Mindy looked at the package of frosted donuts in her hand and her heart swelled. "Thank you, Danny. You didn't have to get me anything."

"Yeah, well, I figured the trip would feel a lot longer if you hadn't eaten in awhile. I know how you can get cranky."

"Um, excuse you, I don't get cranky. I remain my charming self," Mindy defended, already biting into a donut.

Danny laughed, rolling his eyes. "Sure you do." The gas pump beeped, letting him know his tank was full. He paid, climbing back into the car.

"Alright, so it looks like we've got about half an hour left before we get to the shore. You good?" Danny asked, buckling in.

"Dandy," Mindy replied, smiling with a mouth full of white powder.

"Good." Danny held back a laugh. Then he put the car in drive and pulled back out onto the highway.

* * *

**A/N: Y'all don't even know how excited I was to get to this point in the story. I love writing trips! Thanks for the reviews and there's more where that came from!  
**

**xoxo**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: It's finals week, ugh! So here's an update to hopefully brighten someone's day. I know I'm gonna take a TMP break between studying! Thank you for still reading, I can't believe how long this story is now! Wow! Much love for the reviews and shares and everything! xoxo**

* * *

"We're here, Danny! We're here!" Mindy squealed as the beach came into view.

"Yeah, I got that the first five thousand times you announced it," Danny replied sarcastically. "We gotta find a parking spot first, though."

"I know, I know," Mindy folded her arms and tapped her foot impatiently. "Oh, look! A spot! Right there!" She pointed.

"I see it," Danny acknowledged, smoothly pulling up. He put the car in park and rolled up the windows. Mindy was already calling for him to pop the trunk before he could even unbuckle his seatbelt.

"You excited?" Danny asked, chuckling.

"Danny, this is gonna be so much fun!" She cried, waiting for him to grab his towel and sunglasses. He looked up to catch a glimpse of her fleeting figure as she charged across the bridge and into the sand.

"First time she's run since that shoe sale, I bet," he muttered under his breath, locking the car and chasing after her.

It didn't take long for him to catch up.

"I found the perfect spot!" Mindy declared, gesturing to the expanse of sand around them. "It's not too far from the bathrooms, the ocean, _or _the lifeguard station!" She noted with a devious look in her eye.

Danny rolled his own. "Alright, C.J. Parker, calm down."

Mindy brushed him off. "I'm too young to understand your Baywatch reference," she replied, scanning the crowd for men in red swimshorts.

Danny scoffed, laying out his towel. Satisfied, he pinned it down with a couple soda cans and began to take off his shirt.

Mindy turned back to Danny just in time to catch a glimpse of his abs. She tried not to stare, really, but it was so hard not to! She gulped as she realized she had _slept_ with those abs. _Touched_ those abs. It was completely different, seeing them in the daylight. They were truly glorious.

"Min?" Danny's voice broke Mindy out of her reverie.

"Uh, yeah?" She asked, shaking her head. _Get it together! You decided to just be friends!_

"I asked if you could put some sunscreen on my back. You know us Italians never burn, but it's better safe than sorry," he added smugly.

"Mhmm, sure," Mindy nodded, heart aflutter at the chance to touch Danny Castellano again. Maybe she could sneak a feel of his abs, say her hand slipped –

"Here you go," Danny plopped the bottle into her hand. Mindy took a deep breath and motioned for him to turn around. Squirting a generous portion of sunscreen in her hand, she rubbed them together.

Danny jumped a little at her touch, but quickly settled in. Mindy couldn't believe it. Danny Castellano, certified egoist, had material to back up his claims. She rubbed sunscreen into his shoulders, running her hands over his rippling muscles. His back was nothing to scoff at, either. He had that lovely line right down it, parting his muscles like the red sea. Mindy continued rubbing up and down long after the sunscreen was absorbed.

"Uh, Min? You done yet?" Danny asked awkwardly. Mindy stood up quickly, backing away.

"Uh, yeah! There you go!" She stated, hoping Danny didn't notice her voice jumping several octaves up.

He thanked her, squeezing a small portion of sunscreen onto his fingertips and spreading it across his face. He turned to Mindy. "Do you want me to do you?"

Mindy froze. "Exsqueeze me?"

Danny looked befuddled. "Your back. Do you want me to put sunscreen on your back?"

Mindy let out her held breath, laughing awkwardly. "Oh, uh, I just use oil. I'm going for a Lupita glow."

Danny shook his head. "I dunno, Min, it's really not safe to go without sunscreen-"

"Oh come on, Danny, stop being such a grandpa. I'll put on sunscreen when I go in the water."

Danny shrugged, giving up. "Fine, whatever you say. Where's the oil?" Mindy bent down and grabbed a bottle out of one her bags, handing it to Danny. He stood there and waited.

"Um, I kinda need for you to take off your dress if I'm gonna get your back, Min," he pointed out after she didn't move to remove her clothing.

"Right." Mindy nodded. Fear coursing through her veins, she turned away from Danny. She always hated this part. The Big Reveal. Once she was in the water, she would be fine, but just the thought of Danny watching as every inch of her was exposed in the daylight was too much for her to handle. She slowly peeled off her dress, then, still facing away from him, told him she was ready.

Danny's hands were massaging Mindy's shoulders when she felt him lean in and whisper.

"You know, you don't have to be self-conscious, Mindy. You're beautiful. Every part of you."

Mindy felt tears well up in her eyes. Holding them back, she nodded, keeping quiet as he finished up.

"You good?" He held her away from him, searching her face. Mindy nodded again, then took a deep breath.

"Ready to go in the water?" She asked, straightening up. This was her spring break, and she was going to take advantage of it.

"We have to wait 30 minutes for the sunscreen to dry!" Danny exclaimed as Mindy ran off towards the waves. She cheered as they crashed into her, reveling in the slight chill. She squealed, turning back towards Danny who was laughing at her.

"Come on! What're you, scared?" She called over the roar of the waves.

"No, I just…" Danny shrugged, not finishing.

"Just what? Live a little, Danny! You said it yourself, you don't need the sunscreen!"

Danny grimaced, knowing she'd caught him. He walked up to the very edge of the waves, water barely brushing his toes. He winced, looking up at Mindy.

"Danny, what are you doing? Get in!"

"I uh…." He took a deep breath. "I don't know how to swim," He admitted, folding his arms defensively.

"What?!" Mindy gasped, mouthing gaping as the waves crashed around her legs. "Danny, how do you not know how to swim? You lived on an _island_!"

"My dad was supposed to teach me, and then he walked out on us, and, I dunno, I never got around to learning…" He explained, trying to appear nonchalant.

Mindy held out her hand. "Come on."

Danny eyed it suspiciously. "I just told you, I can't swim-"

"Just trust me," she pushed, wiggling her fingers playfully. Danny sighed, stepping into the water and placing his palm in hers.

Mindy squeezed. "I won't let go. I promise. 'K?"

Danny gulped, nodding.

They waded out into the water, hand in hand. Danny squeezed Mindy's hand nervously, but slowly, the tension eased. Taking that as a signal that he was more comfortable, Mindy splashed Danny with water, laughing at his outrage. Danny splashed back, letting go of Mindy's hand to retreat back towards the shore. She watched him run towards their spot, drying off with one of her extra towels. She smiled knowingly.

"Excuse me ma'am, we have a strict no-splashing policy at the beach," a voice from her left pulled Mindy's attention. In front of her stood a fit young man dressed in a white tshirt and red shorts. Mindy noted the whistle around his neck and smiled.

"Oh really? I'm sorry. My friend was too chicken to get in the water, so I was trying to slowly introduce him to the idea." She replied, ready to get her flirt on.

"Oh, well in that case, I'll just put you on probation. I'll need your contact information, of course, in case we need to press charges." He winked, causing Mindy to smirk. She didn't even need a Frisbee.

"Oh, well of course," she played along. "Do you have a pen and paper?"

"Oh, no, I don't," the lifeguard noted regrettably.

Mindy pondered for a second before a spark of genius hit her. "Not to worry." She grabbed a stick floating nearby and began to draw her number in the sand. "There. Now you know how to reach me," she stood up, hands on her hips and pleased with herself.

"Yeah, but what about when the tide comes in?" he asked.

"Well, I guess you'll just have to call me before then," Mindy quipped back. "Guess we'll wait and see," she noted with a toss of her shoulder. "See you around." And with that, she walked back towards Danny, who was watching the two curiously.

"Who's that guy?" He asked gruffly, worry – or was it something else? - splashed across his face.

"He's a lifeguard. Cute, right?" Mindy waved as he retreated back to his station. Danny grunted noncommittally, returning to his copy of Suze Orman's _The Money Book for the Young, Broke and Fabulous_.

Mindy smiled to herself, pulling out one of her Cosmo's and lying down on her towel. Danny couldn't help but chuckle when he heard her little snores come from beneath her big sunhat, enjoying the day more than he thought.

They spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing, building Solo-cup sandcastles, reading (Danny), napping, and playing in the ocean (Mindy). All too soon, the sun was setting and the crowds were packing up.

"I'm not ready to go home," Mindy whimpered as she shook the sand out of her towel.

Danny nodded. "Me either." Something in the distance caught his eye. "You wanna stay a little while longer and get some ice cream?"

"Uh, does Sarah Jessica Parker rule the fashion world?" Mindy shook her head at Danny's dumbfounded look. "Yes, Danny. I want ice cream."

They quickly packed their supplies, rushing over to the ice cream stand. Danny ordered Mindy's favorite, Moose Tracks, and settled for a scoop of strawberry himself. They sat down at one of the picnic tables, licking in silence until Mindy's phone rang.

"You gonna answer that?" Danny asked, glancing at the screen. When he saw that it said "Unknown number", he began to eat his ice cream more vigorously.

Mindy glanced over at the lifeguard station, where she could see her lifeguard on his phone, clearly waiting for her to answer.

"Nah." She pressed "end call" and returned to her melting cone, shrugging. "I think I'm good."

"Oh really?" Danny asked, surprised.

"Yeah. I'm good with what I've got," Mindy smiled between licks. "Plus, it was totally irresponsible to talk to me while he was on duty. Young children – or men " she glanced at Danny slyly, "could've been drowning!"

"Well if that's what you want," Danny replied, not sounding the least bit put out. He smiled at Mindy, who smiled back. They finished up their ice cream and grabbed their stuff, packing into the car.

It wasn't long before Danny heard snoring from the passenger seat. He smirked knowingly, grabbing a hoodie of his from the backseat and laying it over Mindy's sleeping form before turning down the radio. Mindy stirred for a second but quickly resettled, wrapping the corners of the sweatshirt around her. Danny felt a bubble of happiness rise inside him and smiled, driving on into the night.


	18. Chapter 18

**THREE DAYS! We're so close y'all! here's the latest update, thanks for reading and reviewing! xoxo**

* * *

"Hey, Min. Wake up. We're home."

Mindy shrugged off the hands that were gently shaking her and sat up. "Already?"

Danny laughed. "Yes, 'already'. Time flies when you're sleeping the entire trip home."

Mindy feigned regret. "Oh, I'm sorry Danny! I should've stayed up to make sure you didn't fall asleep."

"Wouldn't have done us a lot of good, would it?" Danny smirked. "You're fine. Time to get you up to bed."

Mindy nodded, easing herself out of the car. Danny grabbed all three of her bags while Mindy unlocked the door to her dorm. They rode the elevator in silence, both reflecting on the day, exhausted.

Mindy stopped in front of her room. "Well, this is me."

"Yep." Danny nodded, handing Mindy the first bag. She slid it over her arm and onto her shoulder, yelping.

"If it's that heavy, you really need to start some strength training," Danny commented, laughing.

Mindy glared, rolling up her sleeve. "No, Danny, it's not too heavy." She gestured to her shoulder. "I think I'm sunburned."

"Wait, that can happen?"

"Yes, Danny, people with darker skin can, indeed, be harmed by UV rays." Mindy huffed. "I'm not Superwoman. Well, not all the time," she noted smugly. She sighed. "Can you just check?" She turned her back to him so that he could peel away the edge of her clothing.

"Mmm." Danny clicked his tongue, using his palm to test her scalding skin. "You're a lobster. Is this what you meant when you said you were going for a 'Lupito glow'? Cuz this seems more like glow in the dark."

"It's Lupita! Like Lupita Nyong'o! Of _12 Years A Slave _fame? Not that I watched it, because come on, that movie is like, 2 hours long and super depressing. But she's a beauty icon!" The dumb look on Danny's face told her had no idea what she was babbling on about. Mindy shook her head, disappointed.

She groaned. "Dammit! This sucks." Mindy stomped her foot angrily before looking up at Danny, feigning innocence. "Oh Danny…"

He sighed. "Yes, Mindy?"

"You know you wanna put aloe on my back for me, right?"

He shook his head. "Sure." Mindy beamed, opening the door to her room so that Danny could put down the rest of her stuff.

"Turn around," he commanded, grabbing the bottle of aloe from Mindy's outstretched hand. He had to admit, at least she was prepared. For once, Mindy's knack for owning every product known to mankind had come in handy.

Mindy obeyed, peeling her dress off quickly. She knew she didn't have to be self-conscious around Danny anymore, and honestly, she was too preoccupied with her impending relief.

"Thank you, by the way," Danny noted as he gently smoothed aloe over her shoulders.

Mindy tilted her head. "Hmm? What for?"

"You know, for today. I had a really good time."

"Me too." Mindy smiled, jumping as Danny spread the cool substance along her rib cage.

"You ticklish?" He teased.

"Not in the slightest." Mindy clenched her teeth, trying not to let on. She sighed in relief as he moved to her lower back. "Could you get underneath my straps too?" She asked, wincing as he hit a particularly burnt spot.

"Uh…yeah. Sure." Danny coughed, tenderly lifting the strap going across her back and rubbing aloe underneath. He gently placed it back, pausing before moving up.

Ever-so slowly, he slipped her right strap to the side of her shoulder, fingers so gentle Mindy got goosebumps. Mindy could feel his breath on her shoulder and had to remind herself to exhale.

"Danny – " Mindy started weakly. She knew she was going to get into trouble if this went any further.

"Mhmm?" Danny murmered, trailing his fingertips along her shoulder.

"We, uh, we – "

"Yes?" he asked, teasing. His hands started rubbing her back again, despite having already attended to the area.

"We've already been down this road," Mindy managed to get out. Danny's hand stopped moving.

"I understand. I'm sorry." Danny dropped his hand, defeated. Before he could turn away, Mindy grabbed it and squeezed. He looked up, surprised.

Mindy took a deep breath. "Wait. You missed the other shoulder," she said, looking him deep in the eyes. Mindy moved the other strap aside, grabbing her chest so that her entire bathing suit didn't fall.

Danny swallowed hard, nodding. "I-I can get that," he stuttered, grabbing the bottle of aloe from where he'd placed it on the floor. Mindy leaned into him as he massaged the area, making a mental note to get sunburned more often.

"You know, I was wondering if I could stay here tonight," Danny asked, his voice low.

Mindy gulped. Her own voice shot up several pitches. "Don't you live a block away?"

"Yeah, but I'm so very tired from driving all the way there and all the way back," he whispered, breath tickling her ear. Mindy sighed.

"Mhm. Yeah. Sure you can stay." She nodded, breath caught in her throat, clutching her chest more than was necessary to keep the fabric up.

"Thank you." His arms reached around Mindy to encircle her. She felt his lips touch behind her ear gently.

"Danny, I dunno about this." Mindy hated herself for saying it, but she didn't wanna go down this path again. Not with Danny.

He spun her around, looking her deep in the eyes. "I had a lot of fun at the beach today. You did too, didn't you?" Mindy nodded, breathless. "Or would you rather I be that lifeguard?" Mindy shook her head no. "If you say you really don't want this, then I'll go. But I think you do."

Mindy swallowed, trying to summon the courage. She nodded.

"Please, Min." he begged quietly. "Please say it."

"I – I do, Danny. I do. I want this." she stuttered, nodding harder.

The words were barely out before Danny was leaning in and claiming her lips. He slid his hands along the length of her body, causing her to whimper. "Sorry," he laughed a little, gently moving his hands to cradle her head.

"S'okay," Mindy allowed, reaching up to run her hands through Danny's hair. Her bathing suit top fell to the ground, but she didn't care. Mindy could feel Danny smiling through their kiss.

"You know," he said between kisses placed along her neck. "I was really jealous of that lifeguard today."

"Oh really?" Mindy managed to reply, closing her eyes and relishing the feel of Danny's lips on her skin.

"Mhmm," he murmured into her collarbone. "And you looked so hot in that bathing suit."

"I did?" She wheezed out, Danny's hands dipping lower and lower on her back.

"But I like you even better without it," he declared, voice husky and a devious twinkle in his eye. Mindy's mouth opened in astonishment.

Then he grabbed her and carried her over to the bed, proving his point.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT! So excited! Also, we are nearing the end of the story. I can't believe this sucker is 19 chapters already! There's two more in the works, so get ready! Thanks for the reviews, as always! xoxo**

* * *

"Fricken hooks," Mindy muttered as she battled with the bra that was caught in the mesh of her delicates bag. "From now on I'm going commando."

"I wouldn't mind that," Danny commented from where he was leaning against the laundry room door, reading the newspaper. It was a couple days after their trip to the beach, and everything was fantastic. Waking up together, studying (if that's what you wanna call it) in the barracks of the library, watching movies (or in Danny's case, sleeping through them) til dawn. It had been a wonderful vacation, filled with many wonderful outfits that needed to be cleaned.

"I'm sure you wouldn't." Mindy rolled her eyes, standing up and closing the door of the washer. She poured a healthy amount of detergent into the machine before pushing her quarters into the pay slot.

"The day you run out of clothes is the day I give up my season tickets to the Yanks," Danny noted with a smirk.

"Yes, I have a lot of clothes," Mindy stated proudly, "but I just have an appreciation for colorful fabric!"

"To match your colorful personality," Danny smiled and cradled Mindy's face in the palm of his hand. She closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of his calluses against her skin.

Still holding onto him, she jumped up on top of the washer, swinging their clasped hands back and forth.

"What?" Danny asked, smile in his voice.

"Nothing," Mindy shrugged. "I'm just happy. I've had a really good spring break."

"Oh yeah?" He was grinning from ear to ear.

She laughed, mirroring his smile. "Yes, really."

"No jerks teasing you about your princess covers?" Danny slid closer to the dryer, gazing up at Mindy deviously.

"No, none that want their secret life as a dancer to stay a secret," Mindy countered.

"Oh, is that how it's gonna be?"

"Oh, that's definitely how it's gonna be."

Mindy could feel Danny's laughter through the two hands planted on her knees. He was now standing between her legs, head even with Mindy's chest as she was sitting on the machine. She leaned down, placing little butterfly kisses everywhere but actually on his lips.

Danny turned and caught her by surprise, kissing her gentle as ever. Mindy was amazed by what Danny Castellano's lips could do. She had always loved watching them break into a smile; now, she got to feel the sensation as well.

Before they knew it, the washer was buzzing beneath Mindy, signaling that her laundry was done. Time had an amazing way of flying by when she was kissing Danny. It was like the entire world disappeared and all that was left was the feel of his hands holding her so gently. It was perfection.

Mindy sighed. "D'ya think my clothes need another go-round? I mean, they were probably extra dirty from the beach and everything…"

"Oh yeah. Maybe another two, even," Danny nodded, already reaching for her.

Later, when Mindy was putting away her laundry, she would come across an especially shrunken sweatshirt and laugh, tossing it into the trashcan with no regrets.

* * *

Flipping idly through his textbook, Danny snuck a peek at his study buddy. They were lying in the grass in the quad, trying to finish their last bit of homework before the break ended. Mindy was testing herself with her Organic Chemistry notecards, brows furrowed in concentration.

She felt Danny's gaze and looked up. "What?"

Danny shook his head, a hint of a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Nothing."

"Whatever, Danny. Staring at me like some weirdo."

Mindy's teasing made her even more endearing. Danny loved it.

_Hold on, Romeo. You've just survived the week together! _Danny's brain tried to reason with his heart, losing ground more and more each minute they spent together.

Danny was openly staring at Mindy now. A piece of hair fell into her face as she studied a card, Danny reaching out to tuck it behind her ear. She smiled as he traced his thumb along her cheek, returning to the task at hand.

"Hey, Min?"

"Yeah?" She asked, not looking up from her notecards.

Danny opened his mouth but the words didn't come out. Mindy turned and looked at him, exasperated.

"Danny, are you trying out your puppet bit again? Because I told you, Sesame Street only has celebrity guest stars."

That shut Danny's mouth. "No, Min, I'm not. But thanks again for reminding me that my dream of singing with the Cookie Monster will never come true." Mindy shook her head.

"Can you pass me a juicebox?" She held out her hand expectantly.

"Yes, your Highness," Danny teased, grabbing one from his backpack. "Would you like me to put the straw in it for you as well?" He added, joking.

"Yeah, that would be great, babe," Mindy replied, still focused on her studies. Danny rolled his eyes as he stabbed the straw into the pouch, handing it to her. He watched in awe as she sipped, lips enveloping the yellow plastic.

"Okay, Danny, we really need to talk about your interpersonal skills," Mindy sighed dramatically as she sat up and turned towards him. "You've been majorly creeping on me all afternoon. What's up?"

Danny shook his head, not wanting to burst their little bubble. The past week had been so amazing, and he wasn't ready for it to be over yet. He needed it to last just a little bit longer.

"Nothing. Just continuing to be stunned by your beauty," he replied, kissing her forehead. Mindy blushed a little and looked down.

"Ohmigod, you're such a cheeseball," she rolled her eyes, lying back down. But her smile told Danny she secretly loved it.

"To be honest, I actually kinda wanted to talk to you about something. I was wondering if you wanted –"

"DAN THE MAN, wassup?" Peter's shouting interrupted Danny's question. He groaned, turning with Mindy to look at the two figures approaching them.

"Is that – Jeremy?" Mindy asked, squinting in disbelief. She and Danny looked at each together, faces mirroring their shock.

"Danny Castellano, how's it hangin?" Peter greeted the two, beer in hand. After all, it was still spring break. Jeremy nodded at Mindy while Danny formulated a response.

"It's…hangin' just fine," Danny winced, gesturing towards his friend. "Mindy, this is Peter. Peter, Mindy."

"Oh yeah. I remember you. You played Danny here like a fiddle! No naked lap for you!" He pointed at Mindy. "Nice work, babe."

"Uh, thanks?" Mindy grimaced, turning towards Jeremy. "How do you two know each other? And Jer, what are you doing back? I thought you had to stay off campus as long as possible to avoid whatever girl it is now that you've given the slip."

Jeremy laughed. "A man can only samba so much before his legs fall off," he explained. "The ladies in Rio were _divine_ –" Mindy cringed "but I missed 'ol' Shulman U', as you Americans so endearingly call it." He turned to Peter and patted him on the back. "That's where this guy comes in. I owe him a lifetime of servitude after what he did for me."

"What, get you a cup of tea?" Danny smirked.

"No, Daniel, although tea is not something to jest about." Jeremy narrowed his eyes at Danny.

Peter interjected. "I dunno what's the big deal, man, I just helped you dodge a Clingon."

Danny froze. "What? A Klingon? Like from Star Trek?"

Mindy turned to him in awe. "Danny Castellano, do you actually understand a pop culture reference?" Mindy snorted with disbelief.

Danny shrugged, defensive. "What? So I watched a classic TV show. Don't act so shocked. I'm cultured!"

Peter sighed and shook his head. "Nah, brah, a Cling-on. Like she *clings* onto you, long after you've moved on? I saw Jer here cornered by one by the vending machine, FatCakes clenched in fists, and decided to help him out, broseph-y-broseph."

"And help me out, he did," Jeremy turned to Peter, gratitude in his eyes. "Chelsea never would've left me alone. She was such a nagging Nancy."

"Wait, I thought you said her name was Chelsea?" Danny asked, confused. Mindy patted him on the head, shushing him. She turned to Jeremy.

"Well, my skeezy friend, I guess for your sake I'm glad Peter came to your rescue. Now you can finish out the year by scamming on more women than a GenieBra infomercial."

Peter guffawed and gave Mindy a high five. "Nice!" Mindy nodded in thanks. Jeremy nudged Peter, ticking his head towards the couple.

"Oh, right!' Peter lit up with excitement, eyes wide. He pointed to Mindy and Danny. "Cancel whatever plans you have tonight, we are going out to par-tay!"

Mindy and Danny looked at each other, grimacing. Danny turned to Peter. "I dunno, Pete, I've really gotta do some laundry before school starts back up, and I need to write a paper and –"

"Dude. Don't give me that bullcrap. You're comin to McClimmon's and we're gonna get _sloshed_!" Peter cheered, already a beer or two ahead of the party.

Danny looked to Mindy for her opinion. She shrugged, as if to say "why not?" Danny sighed and turned to Peter. "I guess we'll see you tonight." Peter slapped Danny on the back, whooping as he and Jeremy left to go get ready.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: It feels like it's been FOREVER since I posted! I'm sorry! Here's the latest update! Thank you as _always _for your support and reviews and kudos and everything!**

* * *

"You sure you wanna wear those? McClimmon's isn't exactly the nicest place in town," Danny notes as he eyes Mindy's heels warily.

She scoffs. "Oh, Danny. Sweet, sweet, naïve Danny. I'm not gonna let a little Guinness ruin _this_ outfit," she laughs, gesturing to her skinny jeans and leather jacket.

Danny shakes his head and sighs. "Whatever you say, Min."

Before the bar is even in sight they can hear it. Peter had texted Danny that it was a back-to-school night, but he hadn't expected this. He glanced at Mindy quickly, worried.

"What? You scared of a little party?" Mindy teased, batting her eyes over the collar of her leather jacket. Danny had to admit, he was glad she was there. If he had to go, at least he would be accompanied by the most beautiful girl in the world.

"Danny, you're doing it again."

"What?" he shook his head, focusing on Mindy's accusing look.

She sighed. "You're staring at me again. Is there something wrong? Is my eyeliner smudged?"

"Your eyeliner is fine. You look nice," Danny laughed, touching her cheek gently. Mindy smiled shyly, stopping just in front of the bar.

"You ready?" She asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be. After you," he gestured, opening the door and ushering her in with a hand on her back. He took a deep breath as the welcoming cheers gushed forth from the bar, following after his date.

* * *

"Hey Min, dontcha think you should slow down?" Danny watched as she slammed her third beer down on the bar, throwing her hands up in victory as the crowd applauded her.

"What?" She called, unable to hear over the din. Danny waved it off, turning back to his own drink. He inwardly groaned. So much for going to the bar _with_ Mindy. It started the second they'd walked through the door. Having already accepted her as one of the "bros", Peter had called for one of his pals to bring her a beer. Mindy hadn't stopped since. The frat guys were thoroughly impressed with her drinking skills, leaving Danny to make awkward conversation with Jeremy at the bar.

"So, you and Mindy, eh? Get into any spring break shenanigans?" Jeremy nudged Danny, winking.

"What? I'm not gonna talk about that with you, man!" Danny cried and brushed him off.

Jeremy laughed, taking that as a yes. He leaned in. "Now tell me – how empty _is_ campus during spring break? I was thinking of staying next year. You know, comforting the other poor, lonely women with nowhere to go." He smirked, eyes flashing deviously.

Danny rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't know. I've been spending all my time with Mindy."

Jeremy sat up. "Oh really?"

"Yes, 'really'," he mocked Jeremy's accent. "We volunteered at the hospital this week and, I dunno, we've just been hanging out. Haven't really noticed anyone else on campus." Danny shrugged.

"Wow, she's good," Jeremy remarked, looking at Mindy with admiration. She was busy discussing the studs on her jacket with one of the brothers.

"What's that mean?" Danny asked, studying Mindy now as well.

Jeremy turned to him. "You haven't noticed?'

"Haven't noticed _what?_!" Danny growled, getting increasingly frustrated now. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Jeremy patted Danny on the shoulder, voice filled with pity. "This is a bubble. This entire week has been a little vacation, and come class tomorrow, it's gonna burst. I'm surprised Mindy has been able to keep you distracted for this long, really."

Danny shook his head, unbelieving. "I mean, we haven't really had a chance to talk about it yet –"

Jeremy chuckled. "That busy, eh?"

Danny scowled, ignoring him. " – but I thought maybe we could after tonight."

Jeremy glanced over his shoulder warily. "Well if you're going to, it better be soon." Danny followed his gaze across the bar to where Mindy was kissing one of the brothers.

* * *

Mindy wasn't _that_ drunk. Yeah, she was working on her third beer, but she had a high tolerance. She chugged along to the cheers of the crowd, slamming down her glass and raising her arms victoriously.

She glanced over at Danny, hoping he would look at her. Just acknowledge her, really. He hadn't since they'd walked in the door. She didn't understand. Hadn't they come _together_? Wasn't this their first public outing as a sort-of-couple? Sure, they hadn't talked about it yet, but they would soon.

Then he had gone and sat at the counter, moping and drinking his beer all alone. No matter what she did, Danny wouldn't look at her. He didn't cheer when she won darts; wouldn't come show her how to play pool (and come on, that was on her rom-com bucket list!), not one word. And now he was sitting there, talking to Jeremy about who-knows-what. Mindy pouted, turning back to the crowd of brothers around her.

"Mindy, you are my hero!" One particularly friendly pledge named Brett exclaimed. Mindy smiled graciously, bowing a bit.

"All in a day's work. Or should I say, night's," she shrugged proudly. She turned to crowd. "Who's buying the next round?"

Brett jumped up and ran to the counter excitedly. Mindy giggled. He was an eager one. She knew she had half the guys in here around her finger. But really, she just wanted one. She glanced over her shoulder again, watching as Jeremy patted Danny on the back and looked in her direction. What were they talking about now?

Mindy's mind flew through the possibilities. Was Danny mad about her hanging out with the frat bros? It was his fault! He wouldn't acknowledge her presence! Angry, she scanned the crowd. If that's how he wanted to play it, that's what he was gonna get. She was sick of being jerked around. Let him see how it felt to be insulted.

Brett came rushing up, drinks in hand. He started to say something, but before he could, Mindy grabbed him and started kissing him. He easily adapted, leaning into Mindy immediately. She peeked one eye open just in time to see Danny storm out of the bar.

Shoving Brett off, she left him in a daze, chasing after Danny. She busted out the door to see Danny already storming down the sidewalk.

"Danny! Wait!" She called, running after him. Well, as best she could in her stilettos and after three beers. He stopped in his tracks, hands on his hips. Mindy caught up, huffing. "Where are you going?"

Danny spun around. "'Where am I going?' WHERE AM I GOING?" Mindy froze. Danny laughed cruelly. "I'm going _home_, Mindy. I thought we were coming here _together_. But you made it all too clear that I was mistaken."

Mindy opened her mouth in shock.

Danny smirked. "I think it's pretty obvious that we're not supposed to be together. How could we, when you're in there playing tonsil hockey with some stranger!"

Mindy gasped. "Let me remind you that you once kissed 'some stranger' at one of Peter's parties –me! You didn't seem to mind that all too much!" Mindy retorted. She gestured to the bar. "And I was only doing that because you wouldn't pay any attention to me, Danny! It's like I wasn't even there!"

"Oh, is that it? I just thought you were so used to the male attention, that one guy wasn't doing it for you. You can't even stay with one person for more than a week." He stared her down, daring her to retort.

"ExCUSE me?!" She spun around, enraged. "You know what, Danny? Maybe I _could _stay with someone if they weren't some smug, stubborn, grumpy old man. Someone who didn't judge me for _enjoying myself_ and being young!"

"Well if you ask me, you're enjoying yourself a little _too _much," he huffed back, arms folded.

Mindy shook her head, now the calm kind of angry. "I didn't ask you, Danny. But you don't have to worry about that anymore. We're over."

He laughed. "Great. I'm glad. We had never even started in the first place." He kicked the ground, starting to walk off again. He flipped around one last time, walking backwards. "Have a good life, Chloe. See you in class."

Mindy stood there, open-mouthed for a few seconds before storming back into the bar.


	21. Chapter 21

"You know, you really should get some protein in your breakfast in addition to your bear claw," Danny chuckled as he walked up beside Mindy. She jumped, squeezing her pastry in surprise and grumbling at its now deflated figure. She stopped in the middle of the hallway, causing a student behind her to protest. She waved him off and turned to Danny, glaring.

"I'm sorry, I don't take nutritional advice from insensitive jerks." She folded her arms angrily.

Danny sighed. "Look, Mindy, I'm sorry I went off on you the other day. I realize we never had a conversation about exclusivity, and that it was unfair of me to assume we were together. Can you forgive me?" He looked at her with big, puppy eyes.

"I don't know, Danny. You said some really hurtful things." She pressed her lips together until they formed a thin line. She shrugged and looked away, trying to resist Danny's apology.

"I know, I know. I take it all back. I'm the worst guy in the world." He grabbed Mindy's shoulders in earnest. "Min. Please. Look at me."

Mindy rolled her eyes, finally looking him in the eye. "What, Danny? What do you want from me?"

He searched her face. "Let me make it up to you. Come over to my room tonight. We can watch whatever movie you want. We can talk about Selena and Justin breaking up for the fourth time. I will help you pick out your go-to summer outfits. Please, just let me try."

Mindy sighed, closing her eyes. She glanced up at Danny. "Fine. But this is your last shot." Danny beamed, standing up pleased.

He pointed to her. "You won't regret this. I promise." Mindy shook her head, following Danny into their classroom and then heading up the stairs to Jeremy.

Danny sat down on the front row and immediately took out his notebook. He had a lot to write, none of it having to do with Genetics.

* * *

Mindy reapplied one last coat of her red lipstick before knocking on Danny's door. Hey, if she was going to have to sit through an hour of talking to Danny, at least she was gonna look hot.

Fussing at a stain on her shirt, she groaned inwardly as she remembered eating a particularly messy slice of pizza for lunch. Mindy was just licking her fingers to try and fix it when the door opened a crack.

Danny looked at her, confused. "Hey. What're you doing?"

Mindy froze immediately, arms flying back to her sides. "Nothing. Just – nothing."

"Okay," Danny laughed, knowing it was better left unexplained. "Thanks again for coming."

"Sure." Mindy tapped her foot expectantly. "Well, are you gonna let me in? I didn't walk all the way over here in these shoes to stand on the hard linoleum."

Danny smirked, opening the door wider. "Yeah, of course. Come on in."

Mindy obliged, easing her way through the threshold. She glanced back at Danny as she entered, confused. The room was completely dark except for a few lit candles. Inbetween Danny's desk and drawer stood a table with 12 cups arranged into two triangles.

Mindy turned to Danny. "What is this?"

Danny took a deep breath, walking over to the table. He held out his arms. "I'm gonna win you back."

* * *

**A/N: Another mini-chap/interlude. Don't worry the next chapter's length completely makes up for it! 2 more chapters and then this behemoth of a fic is gonna be finished! I can't believe it! Also, thank you for all of your lovely reviews on the last chapter. I know the word lovely seems ironic because most of them were like "oMG WHY NO WHY I'M SO MAD AT YOU FOR DOING THIS", but it means that I'm doing a good job of getting the emotions across! So thank you for those too! haha :) as always, xoxo!  
**


	22. Chapter 22

Mindy looked at him like he was crazy. "Danny, I know you've got an old-man mentality and all, but this is the 21st century. Women have rights. We're not property!"

Danny held out his hands, shaking his head. "No, no Min. I'm not – I'm not gonna _own_ you. I'm challenging you to a game of beer pong. For your heart." Danny's voice broke on the last word.

Mindy nodded slowly as it dawned on her. She grimaced. "Danny, this is really sweet of you. But you can't get me back by beating me at some silly game. It doesn't work that way." She turned around, moving to leave when Danny grabbed her arm.

Mindy whirled around. "Let go, Danny. It won't change anything. It won't make us talk about what went wrong, or why we can't seem to help hurting each other. We always end up in the same place, and I'm tired of playing your games." She paused, looking back at the table set up. "All of them."

Danny flinched, eyes begging. "Please, Min, just let me explain."

Mindy couldn't deny the vulnerability in his voice. "You have thirty seconds," she allowed begrudgingly.

Danny took a deep breath. "The rules of the game are a little different. If you win, you never have to see or speak to me again. But if I win…you have to give me a second chance."

Mindy shook her head. "Why would I agree to play? You know I'm crap at beer pong."

Danny ticked his head to the side, smiling. "That's the catch. For every ball you get in a cup, you get to slap me."

Mindy's eyes lit up. She coughed, trying to regain her composure, then shook her head. "As much as I would love to slap you silly, I'm not going to. You really hurt me Danny. No amount of physical pain can match that."

Danny panted, frantically searching the room for inspiration. "Okay, okay…what about if you get to slap me _and _you can ask me anything? Whatever you want. Please, Min. I'll do anything to make it up to you."

Mindy sighed. She could tell Danny wouldn't give it up. "Fine. I'll play your little game. But this time, you're going down, Castellano."

Danny exhaled in relief, gesturing to the right side of the table. "Okay. You're there, I'm here. You have to drink what's in the cup after I get a ball in."

"_If _you get a ball in," Mindy clarified, stretching her neck and rolling her shoulders. She motioned to Danny. "Gimme the ball. Let's get this over with."

Danny smiled and tossed it over to her. She fumbled trying to catch it, finally trapping it between two hands. "I wasn't ready," she explained, causing Danny to laugh.

"Uh huh," he replied, disbelieving. "Feel free to start tossing."

Mindy closed one eye, aiming before flinging the ball across the table. It hit Danny in the chest, bouncing into his outstretched hand. He smirked.

"I'm just warming up," she told him, standing back as Danny threw the ball. It neatly plopped into the center cup at the very bottom. Mindy frowned and yanked the ball out before downing the drink.

She swallowed and looked up, confused. "Wait, is this water?"

Danny chuckled. "Yeah, well, I couldn't have you getting drunk on me. A naked lap around this dorm would be a very embarrassing experience for you," he replied smugly.

Mindy shook her head, peering into the cup. "Is there something written inside there?"

Danny shrugged. "I dunno, maybe it's a logo. It's your turn," he reminded her, rolling the ball across the table. Mindy straightened up, concentrating before tossing the light ball. It bounced off the top cup, rolling around the edges of one in the second row before falling in.

"Yesss!" Mindy cheered, doing a little victory dance. She beckoned. "Cm'ere." Danny groaned, making his way over to her. She raised her hand, slapping him squarely across the jaw. Danny rubbed it, mouth open and accusing. Mindy glared right back. "That was for walking out on me."

"I deserved that," Danny noted, walking back to his place. He turned to her. "So. What do you wanna know?"

Mindy thought for a while, then smiled. "Tell me a secret that nobody else knows."

Danny shrugged, grabbing the ball and mumbling.

Mindy held her hand up to her ear. "I can't hear you Danny. Gonna have to speak up."

"I slept in footie pajamas until I was seven."

Mindy gasped, trying to talk through her laughter. "Ohmigod, what? WHY?"

"My house was really cold, and they were really comfortable. I had these baseball ones that I would wear every time the Yanks won. Lucky for me, they're a good team," he noted, smirking.

Mindy giggled before realizing she was letting him get to her. She squared her shoulders and nodded. "I'm liking these new rules. Alright, your go."

Danny cracked his neck before flicking the ball into a cup on the second row. "Lucky shot," Mindy quipped, downing the drink and setting it to the side. She rolled the ball in her hand anxiously, picking her next target.

"Don't hate the player, hate the game," Danny noted confidently.

Mindy laughed. "An _accurate _pop culture reference from Danny Castellano. See what a good influence I've had on you?"

Danny shook his head, staring at her with admiration. He waited a beat. "Just shoot already, Lahiri."

Mindy flung the ball across the table, sinking it into the front cup. Danny's shocked face reflected her own surprise as she cheered for her success. "Suck it, Castellano!"

Danny ambled over, accepting his slap quietly and waiting for her question. Mindy tapped her finger along her lips, beaming when she decided.

"Tell me about your senior prom."

Danny rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine. My date was Lisa Schlobom. We had World Civ together. She stuck me with the boutonniere. My family, we didn't have a lot of money, so my Ma made my suit for prom. There were ruffles everywhere – probably cuz it was sewn from my Aunt Josephine's pantsuit. And yes, there is photographic proof."

Mindy cackled while Danny waited it out. "You done yet?"

Mindy waved her hand, gasping for air. "For now, yes. But I will need to see those pictures someday."

Danny smiled lazily. "Yeah, sure. One day."

When Mindy's laughter had finally died down, he assumed shooting position. He tossed the ball up and down, calculating his next move. Mindy eyed him warily.

"You know, Danny, if you win, there will be conditions."

"What, you getting nervous?" he asked, smirking.

"No. I just wanted to clarify."

"Good. Cuz it's looking like we're gonna need to define the fine print," he noted, easily tossing the ball into the cup at the very tip of the pyramid. Mindy groaned and gulped her water, setting it down next to the others. "Gimme."

Danny tossed her the ball. Wound up, she threw it completely too far, causing it to deflect off Danny's window and under the bed. While he searched, she downed the rest of the water, thirsty.

"My turn." Danny threw the ball. It rolled around the sides of one cup lazily. Mindy tried to flick it out, but only succeeded in causing it to flip into the cup next to it.

"Two! That's two cups for me!" Danny cheered, fist pumping while Mindy begrudgingly moved them away.

_Come on, Beyoncé Pad Thai. You can do this. Channel Queen Bee. She wouldn't let some silly guy mess with her head game._ Mindy took a deep breath, tossing the ball into a cup. She cheered while Danny cleared it away, waiting expectantly.

This time, she could only bring herself to shove him lightly. She looked deep into his eyes, searching for something. For the reasoning behind this whole game, this whole _thing_ between them.

She took a deep breath. "Why, Danny? Just – why?"

Danny sighed, not daring look up. "You wanna know why?" Danny asked, fiddling with the ball in the cup.

"Those are the rules, aren't they?" She replied sassily, not feeling half as confident as she was pretending to be.

Danny chuckled. "Yeah, they are." He glanced up quickly. "I did this all – everything, even the pizza and the hospital and the storming out – because I think I'm in love with someone."

Mindy froze. "Who?"

"Oh no. One secret at a time, babe," Danny replied, tossing the ball and missing. Mindy was so alarmed by his revelation, she didn't even notice. She centered herself, tossing it into a cup.

Danny smiled and looked up. "One more slap."

Mindy reached out and barely tapped Danny's face, lingering just a moment too long.

"Who?" she repeated, breathless.

"You. I'm in love with you." Danny grabbed the hand that was now resting on his cheek, looking at her with the vulnerability of newborn bird.

Mindy blinked at him, unable to answer. She shook her head. "No you aren't, Danny. You just think you are."

Danny's intense stare bore into her eyes. "Yes, _I am_, Mindy. I love you." He stopped searched her face for any cues as to what she was feeling, suddenly growing passionate. "I love that you know as much about peptide bonds as you do about Chevron. I love how you wash your whites and colors together to save money, because you have so much laundry. I'm only happy when I'm with you, eating pizza and picking grass out of your hair. And I love the way you look at me like I'm crazy. Like right now," he noted, reaching out to smooth back a piece of her hair. "I love that you think I'm crazy for loving you."

Mindy shook her head and closed her eyes. "We've tried this, Danny. We're too different. We'd fight all the time."

"Yeah, but in my family, fighting means you care enough to try to work something out," Danny smiled, rubbing his thumb along her cheek. "I care enough. And I think you do too. So, what do you say? Will you give me another shot? I promise, I won't let you down."

Mindy closed her eyes, thinking. She really cared about Danny. No one else made her feel so safe and cared for, like she was something precious and worth loving. And she could hear how much he wanted this in his voice. She had to admit, she did too.

Mindy opened her eyes, decision made.

She nodded emphatically. "Yes. Yes, you can take me out. You can have a second chance."

"I can?" The disbelief in Danny's voice conveyed just how lucky he knew he was. He grabbed Mindy, bringing her to him, kissing her deeply.

He paused for a second, pulling back to drop the ping-pong ball in his last remaining cup.

"Looks like I win," he noted smugly.

Mindy rolled her eyes, but laughed. "Can we solve all our fights this way?"

Danny nodded. "Of course. I'd rather argue with you than kiss anybody else."

Mindy beamed. "You watched _The Wedding Date_?!"

Danny shook his head, confused. "What? What's that?"

Mindy laughed and smiled. "Nothing. It's nothing." She leaned in to peck him on the lips before grabbing one of the cups.

"You thirsty?" Danny teased.

Mindy nodded, eyeing the cup suspiciously after setting it down. She turned to Danny. "Does that cup say 'you' in the bottom?"

Danny shrugged, smirking. "I dunno. Why don't you check again?" He reached around her to flick on the light, watching as she peered in again.

"It totally says 'you', Danny! Where did you get these cups from, the Narcissism Network?"

Danny shook his head, laughing. "No, because I would've run into you there." Mindy scoffed, causing Danny to kiss her knuckles in retribution. "Why don't you check the other cups? Maybe it was a factory mistake."

Danny released her hand and watched as she scoured the rest of the cups.

"This one says 'I'! At least that's a little better," Mindy noted. Then she froze, hovering above the last one. She turned to Danny, eyes glistening. "And this one says 'love'".

Danny smiled. "Yeah, yeah it does."

"Danny, were you trying to be _romantic_?" She stood with the cups arranged on the table so that they read 'I Love You'. She shook her head, smirking at her creative partner while wiping at the corners of her eyes.

Danny chuckled. "Yeah, yeah, I was. I didn't expect you to get so many cups! I had to find _some way_ to tell you."

"Ignoring that jibe at my obviously underestimated beer pong skills, I'm going to say that this is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. Thank, you Danny. I love it." She wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning in for a kiss.

"You're welcome," he replied, sighing happily.

Mindy paused. "So. About that Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez conversation…I still get to do all that stuff, right?"

Danny groaned, leading her over to his bed and sitting her on his lap. "Sure, Min. I could listen to you talk all day."

It was only a couple minutes later when Mindy found out that discussing celebrity relationships was not quite as enticing as starting a real one with a certain Italian man.

* * *

**A/N: You made it all the way through this insanely long chapter! congrats! **

**One chapter left - the epilogue! :) as always, thank you for reading and reviewing! xoxo**


	23. Chapter 23

Danny took off his cap and wiped his forehead, scowling accusingly at the sun. He turned in his seat to look at Mindy, who was busy Instagramming a picture of herself in her own cap and gown. She noticed Danny's attention.

"Come on, get in the picture!" She pulled on his arm, scooting her folding chair closer to his. Danny looked around, self-conscious.

"Min, we're in the middle of graduation!"

She waved him off. "Danny, we are sitting in a sea of people. I don't think anyone's gonna care if we miss two words of the commencement speaker's speech."

He gave her a look of disbelief. "It's Ken Burns! Do you even know who he is?"

Mindy scoffed. "No."

Danny sucked in air. "He's only America's best documentary maker! He's done great things for this country, Min."

Mindy rolled her eyes. "Okay, grandpa. We have plenty of time to watch his special on the Civil War later." She patted Danny on the head, leaning in to give him a peck on the lips. "Now let's take a nice picture so we remember how attractive and full of life we were before residency."

Danny laughed, finally obliging. Mindy smiled into the camera, jumping a little when Danny kissed her cheek as the shutter went off. She playfully swatted at him, posting the picture happily.

Sam poked Danny from his other side. "Hey, lovebirds - quiet down. Some of us are trying to concentrate."

"See!" Danny held out a hand, righteous.

Sam shook his head, holding out his phone. "Oh, no, I didn't mean I was listening to whoever that schlup is. I'm trying to play Flappy Bird over here. I'm so close, I can taste it!" He cried, shaking his phone in frustration. Danny groaned while Mindy leaned over him, trying to show Sam some tricks.

Danny pushed her back into her seat. "Alright, alright, calm down and pay attention. Not everyone gets to graduate from college. Let's appreciate this moment while it's happening."

Mindy sighed, folding her arms. "You're right. I guess I'll just sit here and pretend to listen while I'm really planning the fabulous wardrobe I'll have when I'm a doctor and have my own practice." She turned to Danny. "Do you think I could pull off a lot of stripes?"

"You could pull off anything, babe," Danny replied appreciatively. Mindy smiled, pleased.

"Yeugh. Please stop. You're ruining the anti-commitment vibe I've got goin' on here," Peter complained from behind Mindy. "Oh, come on! Why not one last hurrah before graduation?" He protested, throwing his arms up in defeat as the girl he had been hitting on scooted further away. "Thanks guys. Really." Mindy and Danny chuckled, much to his annoyance.

"Well I for one think that it is lovely that you two finally worked things out," Jeremy noted, leaning forward from his seat behind Danny. He patted him on the back, quickly removing his hand and wiping it on his pant leg when he felt how damp it was.

"Easy enough for you to say, you're getting enough tail for the both of us!" Peter pouted, folding his arms and slouching in his chair.

"Come now, Peter, we'll go out to McClimmon's for one last round. I'm sure there are plenty of young women with doubts and anxieties about their future who need comforting," Jeremy alluded with devious eyes.

Peter perked up, nodding and rubbing his chin. "Dude. I have an idea. We're gonna need some bandanas, a bottle of eyedrops, and a baby."

Danny was just about to ask why they were gonna need a baby when he heard his name called over the microphone. "Daniel M. Castellano, summa cum laude, Biology."

"Mussolini!" A tall guy with shaggy brown hair stood up and shouted. Danny looked alarmed, climbing up the stage and shaking the dean's hand.

"That's my baby!" Mrs. Castellano cried, camera at the ready. Danny smiled cheesily, blushing while accepting his degree. He waved, quickly exiting the stage.

"Mindy Lahiri, summa cum laude, Biology." Mindy stood up and straightened out her gown, beaming. She marched up the stage, posing perfectly for a picture. Her father captured the moment, clapping loudly with pride. Mindy strutted off the stage, squealing as she caught up to Danny.

"We did it!" She jumped up and down, hugging him. He laughed, holding her close.

"Yes we did." He smiled, proud of the both of them. They walked back to their seats, chuckling as Peter accepted his degree with his sunglasses and popped collar. They cheered for Jeremy as well, who of course accepted his own degree with honor and reverence. Together, they turned their tassels, Mindy and Peter throwing their caps in the air while Jeremy and Danny frowned.

Making their way through the crowd, Danny's mom and Mindy's father finally reached the happy couple.

"Congrats, babydoll," Mindy's dad held out his arms, squeezing his daughter tight when she jumped into his arms. Danny's mother pinched her son's cheeks, snapping another thousand pictures.

"You two go over by that tree, I want a picture of you together for the fridge," Mrs. Castellano directed, ushering them away from the crowds.

"I'd like a copy of that, please," Mr. Lahiri asked Mrs. Castellano as they walked towards the quad. Mrs. Castellano obliged excitedly, noting that she would need to get his contact info.

Danny stood next to Mindy, brushing a few loose strands of hair out of her face. He gazed at her in adoration.

"Danny, my dad's right there!" she whispered, blushing.

"I know. And I don't really care. He knows you're beautiful too," Danny replied, kissing her on her cheek. Mindy smiled to herself, shy.

"Alright, act like you know each other!" Mrs. Castellano called, motioning for the two to stand closer together. Danny wrapped an arm around Mindy's waist and she leaned into him. They both smiled, happy to be graduating and moving on to the next chapter of their lives. They had both gotten into Johns Hopkins and were planning on living together. There was a lot to be celebrating.

Mindy was about to request that they go get food when she saw Danny nod at Peter out of the corner of her eye. She turned toward him when he pulled away, beginning to protest until she saw that he was kneeling. In his outstretched hand was a ring. Behind the two proud parents stood Peter, holding a pair of speakers with an iPod playing "In Your Eyes."

Mindy turned back to Danny, open-mouthed.

"Min," Danny began, voice already cracking. "I love you so much. I love your courage, and your passion, and your ability to let people in. I want to bask in your sunshine and worship you and take care of you for the rest of your life, if you'll let me. I know you dream of a rom-com reality, and I can only hope that you will accept me as your prince. Will you make me the happiest man on the planet and marry me?" He stared up at her, hand trembling, breath held.

Mindy gazed around at her friends and family, music still playing in the background. She thought about everything she and Danny had been through. Class projects, half-dates, pushy TA's and beer pong and lifeguards and miscommunication. But she knew it was all worth it. She knew she wanted it all, and more.

Mindy turned to Danny, eyes already tearing up. "Only if you make me the happiest girl and marry me," she nodded emphatically, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Really?" he choked out, disbelieving. Mindy nodded harder, wiping away tears as he grabbed her and kissed her. He cupped her face in his hands, pulling back to look at her. "Really?"

"Yes, really! I want to marry you, Danny!" Mindy cried, laughing.

Danny was smiling so hard, his face threatened to split in two. He wiped away some tears of his own, gently kissing his fiancée. They stood there in the little bubble, lost in the joy of the moment. Everyone cheered, causing other graduates and their parents to turn and clap, taking pictures of their own.

"Alright you two, save it for the honeymoon!" Mrs. Castellano teased, still snapping pictures. She walked up to Mindy, grabbing her and kissing her on both cheeks. "Welcome to the family, my dear! What are you doing during the summer? You'll have to come over and I'll teach you some recipes! Can't have my Daniel starving. He's already so thin, I could snap his collar bone like a chicken wing!"

"Oh come on, Ma," Danny protested, rolling his eyes as she kissed him and hugged him too.

"Congratulations," Mr. Lahiri hugged his daughter and nodded at his future son-in-law. "You take good care of my girl."

"Will do, sir." Danny nodded seriously, shaking his hand. "And thank you again for your permission."

Mindy turned to Danny and glared. "Danny! You asked my father for _permission_ to marry me?" She put her hands on her hips. "Of course, a little part of me loves that, but I am not his property!"

"Calm down, honey, he merely asked for my approval," Mr. Lahiri clarified. He kissed his daughter on the cheek, laughing as she simmered down.

"Oh. Okay, I guess."

"I guess," Danny smirked, squeezing her side. He turned to the group. "Well, I know nerve-wracking events make me hungry. Who's up for some food?"

"Thank _God, _I'm starving," Peter groaned, shutting off the stereo. "You're paying for my food though, man. That's my price for helping with these _romantic shenanigans_."

Danny nodded, for once not arguing. Nothing could ruin this moment for him. "Alright. Let's eat!" The group cheered, collectively moving towards the parking lot.

Danny held open the door of the car for Mindy, releasing her hand as she slid in. He got in on the other side, kissing her cheek before taking off his cap.

He straightened the rearview mirror. "You ready, Chloe?"

She turned to him and smirked. "Nope."

Danny froze. "Wait, what? I just meant for food, but if you don't wanna get married, please Min just let me-"

"Danny, Danny, calm down babe," Mindy stopped him, resting a hand on his arm. She turned serious. "I'm not Chloe. I'm Mindy. And I'm ready to go anywhere with you."

Danny beamed, putting the car into drive. "Alright, future Dr. Mrs. Castellano, then let's go anywhere and everywhere."

Mindy smiled back, then paused. "Wait, Mrs. Castellano? Oh no, I'm keeping my last name!"

"What? What's wrong with Castellano? It's a good, old-fashioned tradition. Not everything has to be so modern, you know –"

The two battled back and forth, driving off towards their families and their future together.

* * *

**I can't believe that this is the end! Thank you SO MUCH for reading and commenting and following and just being genuinely awesome. I hope you liked it. Your reviews kept me going. A HUGE shoutout to Mona for beta-ing like a boss! I love you dearly and your nitpicks! 3 If I could figure out how to gift just one chapter, I would gift it to you! (But I'm Danny-like with my technology ignorance).**

**Thank you AGAIN, and if you ever have a prompt you want filled, maybe shoot me a message! I'm tinyfierceandsassy on tumblr too, so feel free to send 'em there!**

**Thanks again! xoxoxo**


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